Repair, maintenance, improvement tasks you thought you couldn't do?
March 27, 2023 3:07 AM Subscribe
There are many areas in life where we immediately default to professionals. But not all problems are equally hard. Especially with the availability of an enormous amount of instruction videos it became quite easy to do some repairs. I wouldn't attempt to fix a mechanical watch, but I was able to change quartz watch batteries after watching one video! What are your examples of easy-to-do tasks, and what were the tutorials / videos that helped you do it? My examples are below the fold.
Changing watch batteries (5-8 times cheper to buy the batteries and change them myself. With my wife's 10-15 cheap accessory watches it adds up quickly.)
Drilling out a lock Our front door lock jammed and instead of waiting for 2 days with an open door (or paying extra for the emergency service, I fixed it myself. I already had a drill, but it was nice to know where to aim, what to look for.
How to use a pipe cleaner (in hungarian). Again, didn't want to wait a week for the plumber. Bought the tool, watched the video, fixed the pipe.
Changing a turning indicator light bulb in a Suzuki Why should I be afraid of making such a small repair, especially if modern cars are built in such a plug-and-play manner?
I think many people (myself included) just need to overcome the initial fear of not knowing where to start. If someone shows me on a video how easy one fix is, I'm more than happy to make an attempt. Worst case, I call the pros if I cannot do it. (Except gas lines. I wouldn't touch a gas line.)
So, do you have similar examples?
I think many people (myself included) just need to overcome the initial fear of not knowing where to start. If someone shows me on a video how easy one fix is, I'm more than happy to make an attempt. Worst case, I call the pros if I cannot do it. (Except gas lines. I wouldn't touch a gas line.)
So, do you have similar examples?
Changing the key fob battery for your car key.
Changing light bulbs in your car.
Changing a plug/ wiring a plug - always freaks people out but is perfectly feasible for most standard appliances.
Several years ago I was extremely pleased with myself after I changed my Macbook air battery myself.
Last year, I fixed a leak under my kitchen sink. Well, it was basically seal between connecting bits of pipe that had dried out. I called my uncle and showed him the leak on facetime and he told me what to do. It turns out that lip balm is a plumbing tool in the absence of other more standard substances.
posted by koahiatamadl at 3:23 AM on March 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
Changing light bulbs in your car.
Changing a plug/ wiring a plug - always freaks people out but is perfectly feasible for most standard appliances.
Several years ago I was extremely pleased with myself after I changed my Macbook air battery myself.
Last year, I fixed a leak under my kitchen sink. Well, it was basically seal between connecting bits of pipe that had dried out. I called my uncle and showed him the leak on facetime and he told me what to do. It turns out that lip balm is a plumbing tool in the absence of other more standard substances.
posted by koahiatamadl at 3:23 AM on March 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
With my dad's help, I swapped out the garbage disposal under my sink for a more powerful unit. It is a two person job, though.
I realigned a sticking door using a screwdriver and some lipstick to mark the correct location of the strike plate. I also replaced the sun-rotted weatherstripping on my car.
Gutter cleaning is not difficult, per se, but it is dangerous if you are solo or have a steeply-pitched roof. For that one, I'm willing to pay the pros.
posted by basalganglia at 4:00 AM on March 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
I realigned a sticking door using a screwdriver and some lipstick to mark the correct location of the strike plate. I also replaced the sun-rotted weatherstripping on my car.
Gutter cleaning is not difficult, per se, but it is dangerous if you are solo or have a steeply-pitched roof. For that one, I'm willing to pay the pros.
posted by basalganglia at 4:00 AM on March 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
I am a total YouTube handyperson.
Things that were a huge pain in the ass but I saved myself money and definitely feel a sense of accomplishment:
- I changed my car stereo!
- I dissassembled and reassembled my dryer and discovered in the process that the problem with the dryer was that multiple squirrels had gotten in through the vent and died - there was no video for that, and I ended up replacing the dryer. But at least I didn't have to pay someone $$$ to tell me there were dead squirrels in my dryer!
- Replaced a broken latch on my dishwasher
Things that were easy:
- Screen doors, as mentioned above (although I think I just knew that one already from seeing my dad do it).
- Thermostat replacement
- New wifi garage door opener
I've also replaced the igniter in my gas stove. This sounds uncomfortably close to the "working with gas" line but in fact the failure mode of the igniter is "gas won't turn on" so I feel ok about it. I paid an appliance repair guy ~$250 to do it the first time, then when it broke again a couple years later I bought a $40 part off eBay and did it myself in about 30 minutes.
posted by mskyle at 4:08 AM on March 27, 2023 [8 favorites]
Things that were a huge pain in the ass but I saved myself money and definitely feel a sense of accomplishment:
- I changed my car stereo!
- I dissassembled and reassembled my dryer and discovered in the process that the problem with the dryer was that multiple squirrels had gotten in through the vent and died - there was no video for that, and I ended up replacing the dryer. But at least I didn't have to pay someone $$$ to tell me there were dead squirrels in my dryer!
- Replaced a broken latch on my dishwasher
Things that were easy:
- Screen doors, as mentioned above (although I think I just knew that one already from seeing my dad do it).
- Thermostat replacement
- New wifi garage door opener
I've also replaced the igniter in my gas stove. This sounds uncomfortably close to the "working with gas" line but in fact the failure mode of the igniter is "gas won't turn on" so I feel ok about it. I paid an appliance repair guy ~$250 to do it the first time, then when it broke again a couple years later I bought a $40 part off eBay and did it myself in about 30 minutes.
posted by mskyle at 4:08 AM on March 27, 2023 [8 favorites]
Scraping out moldy caulking from the bathtub and replacing it is a bit laborious but not complicated. It takes about an hour. Watch a few YouTube tutorials and make sure to find one that recommends:
- scraping well and cleaning off all the bits of old caulking with alcohol or a scrubby sponge to make the the new caulk sticks really well
- putting a few inches of water into the tub before caulking because the weight of the water helps the bathtub lower into its proper position
- using masking tape to get a clean edge with the new caulk - this really helps make it look good!
- using your wet finger to smooth the caulk- helps it seal better and looks nicer.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 4:21 AM on March 27, 2023 [6 favorites]
- scraping well and cleaning off all the bits of old caulking with alcohol or a scrubby sponge to make the the new caulk sticks really well
- putting a few inches of water into the tub before caulking because the weight of the water helps the bathtub lower into its proper position
- using masking tape to get a clean edge with the new caulk - this really helps make it look good!
- using your wet finger to smooth the caulk- helps it seal better and looks nicer.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 4:21 AM on March 27, 2023 [6 favorites]
Many appliance repairs are not terribly difficult, and the parts websites frequently have step-by-step videos that show how to diagnose the issue, then remove and replace the part. We did this with a dishwasher awhile back, and will usually run through a couple of these sites to at least get a sense of what might be wrong before making a call on trying it ourselves or calling someone to fix it.
posted by jquinby at 4:27 AM on March 27, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by jquinby at 4:27 AM on March 27, 2023 [3 favorites]
+1 to changing lightbulbs in your car
I replaced the screen on a HP laptop with very little trouble. My electric shower stopped working & I’d already called the landlord for several other things recently, so i fixed that myself with a £10 part from eBay & a five-minute clip on YouTube.
Plumbing in general is fun & easy - esp. if you use push-fit pipe fittings.
posted by Puppy McSock at 4:31 AM on March 27, 2023
I replaced the screen on a HP laptop with very little trouble. My electric shower stopped working & I’d already called the landlord for several other things recently, so i fixed that myself with a £10 part from eBay & a five-minute clip on YouTube.
Plumbing in general is fun & easy - esp. if you use push-fit pipe fittings.
posted by Puppy McSock at 4:31 AM on March 27, 2023
Changing the flapper in my toilet.
Deactivating the fuse for the anti-theft alarm system on Honda Odyssey minivans (they are notorious for having faulty alarms that go off for hours, as one was doing outside my house for days, so I left the driver a note with links to Youtube videos).
posted by unknowncommand at 5:56 AM on March 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
Deactivating the fuse for the anti-theft alarm system on Honda Odyssey minivans (they are notorious for having faulty alarms that go off for hours, as one was doing outside my house for days, so I left the driver a note with links to Youtube videos).
posted by unknowncommand at 5:56 AM on March 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I love this question. I'd say generally, apart from working on natural gas lines, and if you're not pretty sure how things work, staying out of your electrical panel (changing or adding circuit breakers which is super easy but parts of the panel are always live)
We have
Repaired a refirgerator compressor which was the same issue as
Repaired our air conditioner (in both cases just start/run capacitors, $15 in parts and 10 minutes of work saved $500 each
Repaired pool salt water generator. Saved $700 in equipment by soldering a 30 cent part in different occasions
Fixed a pressure washer (Carburetor was stuck causing gas to leak)
Refinished an entire bathroom including plumbing, tile, shower stuff, toilet replacement
Finished an unfinished basement which included stud walls and drywall, flooring, and electrical outlets and lights.
Added a floor (one with wood interlocking tiles and one with the vinyl tiles)
Now we own a boat and the first serious big thing we have tackled is completely recoring a bad deck and repairing leak damage and then re fiberglassing it. We hadn't ever touchdd fiberglass, 2 part epoxy, deck core etc.we spent a few weeks browsing YouTube and then after a quote for $20k said what the heck... Let's do it. We've spent about $1500 in parts and probably 100 hours combined labor but none of it has been hard. Just dirty and time consuming
This question highlights one of my single biggest pet peeves. It drives me batty when someone says "oh I'm not a techie". Give me a ####ing break. Do you pay your bills online? Manage to install apps on a phone? Setup that new wifi box from the internet company.... That's the level of sophistication that most "techie" problems arise too. Follow some basic ideas, spend a little while understanding the concept, execute slowly and carefully. Ask questions when stuck.
I would venture to say 90% of basic handyman stuff and 70% of most larger professional services calls are well within range of literally anyone. And whatever that one tool, or couple of decent quality things you might need to buy is will easily be bought with the savings from the first time.
And my gosh, don't get me started on the amazing amount of pride and sense of accomplishment you will get when you fix it. Change a whole toilet out? No one will care, but you will never look at that bathroom again the same way, and the next time the flushy thing doesn't flush you'll roll your eyes, buy the $15 part and whip it out in 20 minutes.
Edited for Oxford comma and spelling.
posted by chasles at 5:57 AM on March 27, 2023 [7 favorites]
We have
Repaired a refirgerator compressor which was the same issue as
Repaired our air conditioner (in both cases just start/run capacitors, $15 in parts and 10 minutes of work saved $500 each
Repaired pool salt water generator. Saved $700 in equipment by soldering a 30 cent part in different occasions
Fixed a pressure washer (Carburetor was stuck causing gas to leak)
Refinished an entire bathroom including plumbing, tile, shower stuff, toilet replacement
Finished an unfinished basement which included stud walls and drywall, flooring, and electrical outlets and lights.
Added a floor (one with wood interlocking tiles and one with the vinyl tiles)
Now we own a boat and the first serious big thing we have tackled is completely recoring a bad deck and repairing leak damage and then re fiberglassing it. We hadn't ever touchdd fiberglass, 2 part epoxy, deck core etc.we spent a few weeks browsing YouTube and then after a quote for $20k said what the heck... Let's do it. We've spent about $1500 in parts and probably 100 hours combined labor but none of it has been hard. Just dirty and time consuming
This question highlights one of my single biggest pet peeves. It drives me batty when someone says "oh I'm not a techie". Give me a ####ing break. Do you pay your bills online? Manage to install apps on a phone? Setup that new wifi box from the internet company.... That's the level of sophistication that most "techie" problems arise too. Follow some basic ideas, spend a little while understanding the concept, execute slowly and carefully. Ask questions when stuck.
I would venture to say 90% of basic handyman stuff and 70% of most larger professional services calls are well within range of literally anyone. And whatever that one tool, or couple of decent quality things you might need to buy is will easily be bought with the savings from the first time.
And my gosh, don't get me started on the amazing amount of pride and sense of accomplishment you will get when you fix it. Change a whole toilet out? No one will care, but you will never look at that bathroom again the same way, and the next time the flushy thing doesn't flush you'll roll your eyes, buy the $15 part and whip it out in 20 minutes.
Edited for Oxford comma and spelling.
posted by chasles at 5:57 AM on March 27, 2023 [7 favorites]
Changing a $2 sensor on a Washing machine , instead of paying hundreds of dollars for a new mainboard as the Manufacturer wanted us to do.
posted by mrgoldenbrown at 6:18 AM on March 27, 2023
posted by mrgoldenbrown at 6:18 AM on March 27, 2023
I changed the old smelly gasket on my front-loading washing machine.
I replaced a condenser fan motor in my fridge.
I replaced the ice maker in my freezer - this was the hardest project.
All from YouTube!
posted by Mid at 6:21 AM on March 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
I replaced a condenser fan motor in my fridge.
I replaced the ice maker in my freezer - this was the hardest project.
All from YouTube!
posted by Mid at 6:21 AM on March 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
Replacing outlets & light switches. You can even upgrade them to "smart house" parts or dimmers or other neat improvements.
Changing your car's oil (though that depends on the model of car: our previous minivan had its oil filter mounted on its side, near the radiator, and every time I got burns on my wrist and a bath of hot oil -- what a fiasco.)
Swapping one of two inexpensive parts on dorm fridges, bringing them back to life.
Plumbing in general is fun & easy OK, this is where I begin to diverge from the crowd. Maybe it's the older houses I have worked on, but working on my plumbing always results in frustration and muffled (or loud) swearing -- though as a principle, repairing stuff that's in-place is way worse than doing something new.
Polishing your older car's yellowed headlights gives them new life for another six months or so -- but it feels miraculous. Swapping the bulbs is nice, too (unless you have an older Subaru like mine, which requires this veterinarian-adjacent technique of coming in through the wheel well).
posted by wenestvedt at 6:55 AM on March 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
Changing your car's oil (though that depends on the model of car: our previous minivan had its oil filter mounted on its side, near the radiator, and every time I got burns on my wrist and a bath of hot oil -- what a fiasco.)
Swapping one of two inexpensive parts on dorm fridges, bringing them back to life.
Plumbing in general is fun & easy OK, this is where I begin to diverge from the crowd. Maybe it's the older houses I have worked on, but working on my plumbing always results in frustration and muffled (or loud) swearing -- though as a principle, repairing stuff that's in-place is way worse than doing something new.
Polishing your older car's yellowed headlights gives them new life for another six months or so -- but it feels miraculous. Swapping the bulbs is nice, too (unless you have an older Subaru like mine, which requires this veterinarian-adjacent technique of coming in through the wheel well).
posted by wenestvedt at 6:55 AM on March 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
Maybe too basic, but changing out an overhead light fixture (after shutting off the fuse, of course!) was the one that made me feel like the smartest, bravest person in the world.
posted by LeeLanded at 7:05 AM on March 27, 2023 [9 favorites]
posted by LeeLanded at 7:05 AM on March 27, 2023 [9 favorites]
We have a junked snow blower that we got for free, and my wife has been gradually rebuilding it for months.
She uses YouTube videos to learn how to do one thing at a time, while I secretly go to Old Guy Web Sites (like this one) to ask follow-up questions.
So far she replaced the gas tank, replaced the carburetor, and replaced all the gas lines, while I swapped a tire inner tube, jury-rigged a scraper bar out of an aluminum ruler, replaced a busted & stuck shear bolt, and oiled every damn part of the thing.
She has learned a bunch, and enjoys the challenge and discovery.
posted by wenestvedt at 7:19 AM on March 27, 2023 [3 favorites]
She uses YouTube videos to learn how to do one thing at a time, while I secretly go to Old Guy Web Sites (like this one) to ask follow-up questions.
So far she replaced the gas tank, replaced the carburetor, and replaced all the gas lines, while I swapped a tire inner tube, jury-rigged a scraper bar out of an aluminum ruler, replaced a busted & stuck shear bolt, and oiled every damn part of the thing.
She has learned a bunch, and enjoys the challenge and discovery.
posted by wenestvedt at 7:19 AM on March 27, 2023 [3 favorites]
Ooh, I could write an essay on this, but here's a super easy one:
If iFixit sells the parts for your electronic gizmo, they almost certainly have detailed step-by-step verified instructions (including difficulty ratings) for how to install the parts. The repair guides can be a little more hit-or-miss since some of the information is crowdsourced, but for popular devices they are very good for addressing many commonly encountered problems.
posted by yeahlikethat at 7:21 AM on March 27, 2023 [4 favorites]
If iFixit sells the parts for your electronic gizmo, they almost certainly have detailed step-by-step verified instructions (including difficulty ratings) for how to install the parts. The repair guides can be a little more hit-or-miss since some of the information is crowdsourced, but for popular devices they are very good for addressing many commonly encountered problems.
posted by yeahlikethat at 7:21 AM on March 27, 2023 [4 favorites]
I too am a youtube handyperson. There's pretty much no toilet situation I can't fix, and I know enough about faucets to know that if it needs replaced I should hire someone more flexible than me. We lived in a house with an in-ground spa pool for nearly 10 years and fixed/diagnosed many issues via videos. I've fixed several HVAC issues including a blocked condensation drain.
I used to drive a 2006 Prius that suffered a documented but somewhat obscure intermittent flaw in the electronics, so that the car would turn on and drive with a dark dashboard, and then would not turn off until you did a specific button and pedal maneuver that we only found described in youtube videos. I eventually took it to a Toyota service center and said, "You are familiar with the Combination Meter issue, yes?" and they said oh yes, of course and then called me on my way home going "uhh, the car won't turn off" and I was like you can google "prius combination meter" or call Toyota or something, you said you knew what I was telling you. They then charged me $170 to keep my car for four days and give it back telling me it was fixed when it was obvious they hadn't done anything, it just worked the next time they started it. I found a local specialist mechanic and made him watch the video on my phone with me. It's an annoying fix because the odometer settings are stored in the malfunctioning chip, so they have to pull it and send it to Toyota to be copied to a new one to send back.
I've replaced batteries in both PC and Mac laptops, replaced (or implemented) dimmer switches, and figured out where the 12v battery in the Prius even IS (hidden, in the back, under the wayback floor).
posted by Lyn Never at 7:26 AM on March 27, 2023 [4 favorites]
I used to drive a 2006 Prius that suffered a documented but somewhat obscure intermittent flaw in the electronics, so that the car would turn on and drive with a dark dashboard, and then would not turn off until you did a specific button and pedal maneuver that we only found described in youtube videos. I eventually took it to a Toyota service center and said, "You are familiar with the Combination Meter issue, yes?" and they said oh yes, of course and then called me on my way home going "uhh, the car won't turn off" and I was like you can google "prius combination meter" or call Toyota or something, you said you knew what I was telling you. They then charged me $170 to keep my car for four days and give it back telling me it was fixed when it was obvious they hadn't done anything, it just worked the next time they started it. I found a local specialist mechanic and made him watch the video on my phone with me. It's an annoying fix because the odometer settings are stored in the malfunctioning chip, so they have to pull it and send it to Toyota to be copied to a new one to send back.
I've replaced batteries in both PC and Mac laptops, replaced (or implemented) dimmer switches, and figured out where the 12v battery in the Prius even IS (hidden, in the back, under the wayback floor).
posted by Lyn Never at 7:26 AM on March 27, 2023 [4 favorites]
Musical instrument maintenance. I've done guitar and bass setups, and changed mandolin tuners and an electric guitar bridge which involved some nontrivial woodwork (mostly based on Dan Erlewine and Ted Woodford's videos). I've also replaced the comb in a harmonica (Brendan Powers' site). All stuff that's easy to get someone else to do, but if you do it yourself you can immediately see the effects of minor adjustments on playability and tweak it to your own taste.
posted by offog at 7:43 AM on March 27, 2023
posted by offog at 7:43 AM on March 27, 2023
PIggybacking off of Lyn Never, OBDC code readers for your car's Check Engine light can be had for less than $50; I picked up a Bluetooth-enabled one awhile back to use with an EV route-planning app, but have used it several other times to diagnose car issues. Google the resulting code+your make/model/year (sometimes they're a little cryptic) and you'll get back the causes, parts, and a slew of YT videos showing how to effect the repair. We did this for my son's car and probably saved a couple of hundred bucks.
You can also get the code read at many auto parts stores (Autozone, etc) for free. Even if you don't want to do the repair yourself, being armed with the diagnostic code and likely diagnosis/fix can be useful prior to walking into a repair shop.
posted by jquinby at 9:11 AM on March 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
You can also get the code read at many auto parts stores (Autozone, etc) for free. Even if you don't want to do the repair yourself, being armed with the diagnostic code and likely diagnosis/fix can be useful prior to walking into a repair shop.
posted by jquinby at 9:11 AM on March 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
Bottom brackets on bikes. Or anything on a bike, really.
posted by aniola at 9:47 AM on March 27, 2023
posted by aniola at 9:47 AM on March 27, 2023
Someone told me recently that you can rewire a whole house, but to pay an electrician to come in and check the work and connect the wires to the box, that way you can get insurance.
posted by aniola at 9:50 AM on March 27, 2023
posted by aniola at 9:50 AM on March 27, 2023
I will share two examples because I felt like such a rock star when I successfully completed them.
Years ago, I had a stereo component type CD player that stopped spinning the CDs for playback. I took it apart and identified a broken belt that looked like a tiny rubber band, smaller than the end of my pinky finger. I took it to a radio shack type parts place and the band they had didn't look identical, but maybe close enough. With plenty of light and a couple of toothpicks and a lot of fiddling I got it in place and had a working CD player again!
I once spilled some wine on a Thinkpad keyboard, ordered a new keyboard and replaced it. Youtube videos were helpful in this endeavor (they were not available for my CD player repair).
I really recommend trying these fixes - not just for the economic or environmental benefits of fixing instead of replacing - but because you just feel like some kind of mechanical genius when you get it to work. I can ride that feeling for days and relive it in a comment like this.
posted by rekrap at 9:51 AM on March 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
Years ago, I had a stereo component type CD player that stopped spinning the CDs for playback. I took it apart and identified a broken belt that looked like a tiny rubber band, smaller than the end of my pinky finger. I took it to a radio shack type parts place and the band they had didn't look identical, but maybe close enough. With plenty of light and a couple of toothpicks and a lot of fiddling I got it in place and had a working CD player again!
I once spilled some wine on a Thinkpad keyboard, ordered a new keyboard and replaced it. Youtube videos were helpful in this endeavor (they were not available for my CD player repair).
I really recommend trying these fixes - not just for the economic or environmental benefits of fixing instead of replacing - but because you just feel like some kind of mechanical genius when you get it to work. I can ride that feeling for days and relive it in a comment like this.
posted by rekrap at 9:51 AM on March 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
Basic dishwasher performance improvements- home.
How to use text to speech options with a variety of Apple & MS products.
Walkthroughs for accessible documents and websites are something I share in a variety of contexts.
posted by childofTethys at 9:55 AM on March 27, 2023
How to use text to speech options with a variety of Apple & MS products.
Walkthroughs for accessible documents and websites are something I share in a variety of contexts.
posted by childofTethys at 9:55 AM on March 27, 2023
I have the unearned confidence of a white man who grew up middle class, but I also started taking stuff apart and putting it back together again when I was, I dunno, 10? It used to drive my mom crazy, but it was rare for me to leave something in worse shape than I found it. As a result I tend to do a lot of poking around before calling in an expert, and my math usually breaks down not on whether I think I can do something or not, but based on how much the tools and supplies will cost me and what I think failure would end up looking like. So like everybody above I won't generally touch gas, although I did buy a set of extra-long screwdrivers to adjust the burner on our gas stove that wouldn't stay lit at the lowest setting. On the other hand our gas fireplace won't stay lit, and even though I know enough to suspect the problem is a bad thermocouple the consequence of failure is catastrophic and I'll pay an expert to handle it.
Things I've done, based on poking around, referring to a "how to fix everything" book, the occasional YouTube video or how-to web page, or even just having somebody show me how:
When I still owned a car:
* Replaced a leaky valve cover gasket in my car when I worked at a generator shop (the mechanic who guided me through it relied on me to help him troubleshoot his home computer, and TBH he was good enough he could have been an IT guy if he didn't like working on engines);
* Changed oil in a couple different cars (the one with the leaky valve cover gasket was relatively easy; the car that replaced it required you to access the oil filter from the bottom, which was hard to do without a lift or those home mechanic ramp things);
* Figured out how to get the CD changer in the second car working again after the mechanism jammed (which seemed to happen about once a year after that), which required removing the whole thing from the car and partially disassembling it;
* Based on that, figured out how to install an auxiliary input adapter in the center console so I could connect my iPod instead of the flaky CD changer, but did it in such a way that I could switch back to the CD changer without having to remove the whole center console from the car again;
* Based on THAT, removed the entire interior of the car when the original speakers wore out, and upgraded the car to a power antenna in the process since I could route the cable for it with the interior exposed. This apparently hadn't been a factory option for the car for some mysterious reason, and when I asked the dealer if it was possible to install one they just said no, but it turned out there was a part number and a service guide you could get off some owner forum somewhere.
Homeowner stuff:
* Replaced a number of faucets first in my parents' house and now in my own;
* Replaced the P-trap under our bathroom sink when the drain that came with the new faucet couldn't line up with the original P-trap, which turned out to be a thing somebody made from parts and not an actual, replaceable P-trap, meaning I had to buy a hacksaw and pipe cement, and then it turned out when I eyeballed where to mount the new P-trap I guessed wrong, so I had to cut the new thing off and mount another one an inch farther back;
* Replaced a toilet wax ring, discovering in the process that the reason the old one failed was that the bolts had slipped, so then I had to buy new bolts and a second wax ring;
* Replaced the drain pump in our combo washer/dryer, a thing I have just done for the fourth time in the ten years we've owned the house. The second time I replaced it, the drain hose split open, which I didn't know until I had the whole thing put back together and ran a test cycle. That required me to tear the unit down again, order a replacement for the hose assembly, and wait until the part arrived before we could do more laundry.
* Replaced the pump/heater assembly in our Bosch dishwasher. There were YouTube guides but none of them actually matched the US model we own. People on the internet say you have to turn the dishwasher on its side to do this, but they are wrong. There's a control panel assembly on one side, and you detach the clips that hold it in place, lift it out of the way, and reach in through the new opening.
* Diagnosed and replaced a failed exhaust fan in our furnace, which is separated from the actual combustion chamber in such a way I didn't feel like I was running any risk of a gas explosion (although my wife wasn't happy).
Computer bonus round, using guides from iFixit:
* Installed SSDs in a couple Macs mini;
* Replaced a battery in my wife's old iPhone;
* Which I don't recommend, because her screen delaminated during the removal step, so then I also had to replace that;
* Using a kit from iFixit, upgraded the SSD and hard drive in my 5K iMac. That's the process that requires a cutting wheel to go through the adhesive around the edge of the screen, which you then have to completely remove using solvent wipes before you can assemble the computer again using new adhesive strips iFixit will be happy to sell you;
* Using a different kit from iFixit, replaced the swollen battery in my old MacBook Pro, which, again, is a process that involves removing adhesives, this time with an alcohol solvent and plastic cards you use to wedge the old battery pack out.
At some point even without my base level of unearned confidence I might have built up enough real experience to feel OK trying more DIY repairs, but I think it did make me more willing to try stuff in the first place. But now, after all that? My default is that I assume I can fix something, or at least I assume I can get it to the point I can see it's not worth fixing. In rare cases I'll determine that something can be fixed, just not by me, but that's not where I start.
posted by fedward at 10:02 AM on March 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
Things I've done, based on poking around, referring to a "how to fix everything" book, the occasional YouTube video or how-to web page, or even just having somebody show me how:
When I still owned a car:
* Replaced a leaky valve cover gasket in my car when I worked at a generator shop (the mechanic who guided me through it relied on me to help him troubleshoot his home computer, and TBH he was good enough he could have been an IT guy if he didn't like working on engines);
* Changed oil in a couple different cars (the one with the leaky valve cover gasket was relatively easy; the car that replaced it required you to access the oil filter from the bottom, which was hard to do without a lift or those home mechanic ramp things);
* Figured out how to get the CD changer in the second car working again after the mechanism jammed (which seemed to happen about once a year after that), which required removing the whole thing from the car and partially disassembling it;
* Based on that, figured out how to install an auxiliary input adapter in the center console so I could connect my iPod instead of the flaky CD changer, but did it in such a way that I could switch back to the CD changer without having to remove the whole center console from the car again;
* Based on THAT, removed the entire interior of the car when the original speakers wore out, and upgraded the car to a power antenna in the process since I could route the cable for it with the interior exposed. This apparently hadn't been a factory option for the car for some mysterious reason, and when I asked the dealer if it was possible to install one they just said no, but it turned out there was a part number and a service guide you could get off some owner forum somewhere.
Homeowner stuff:
* Replaced a number of faucets first in my parents' house and now in my own;
* Replaced the P-trap under our bathroom sink when the drain that came with the new faucet couldn't line up with the original P-trap, which turned out to be a thing somebody made from parts and not an actual, replaceable P-trap, meaning I had to buy a hacksaw and pipe cement, and then it turned out when I eyeballed where to mount the new P-trap I guessed wrong, so I had to cut the new thing off and mount another one an inch farther back;
* Replaced a toilet wax ring, discovering in the process that the reason the old one failed was that the bolts had slipped, so then I had to buy new bolts and a second wax ring;
* Replaced the drain pump in our combo washer/dryer, a thing I have just done for the fourth time in the ten years we've owned the house. The second time I replaced it, the drain hose split open, which I didn't know until I had the whole thing put back together and ran a test cycle. That required me to tear the unit down again, order a replacement for the hose assembly, and wait until the part arrived before we could do more laundry.
* Replaced the pump/heater assembly in our Bosch dishwasher. There were YouTube guides but none of them actually matched the US model we own. People on the internet say you have to turn the dishwasher on its side to do this, but they are wrong. There's a control panel assembly on one side, and you detach the clips that hold it in place, lift it out of the way, and reach in through the new opening.
* Diagnosed and replaced a failed exhaust fan in our furnace, which is separated from the actual combustion chamber in such a way I didn't feel like I was running any risk of a gas explosion (although my wife wasn't happy).
Computer bonus round, using guides from iFixit:
* Installed SSDs in a couple Macs mini;
* Replaced a battery in my wife's old iPhone;
* Which I don't recommend, because her screen delaminated during the removal step, so then I also had to replace that;
* Using a kit from iFixit, upgraded the SSD and hard drive in my 5K iMac. That's the process that requires a cutting wheel to go through the adhesive around the edge of the screen, which you then have to completely remove using solvent wipes before you can assemble the computer again using new adhesive strips iFixit will be happy to sell you;
* Using a different kit from iFixit, replaced the swollen battery in my old MacBook Pro, which, again, is a process that involves removing adhesives, this time with an alcohol solvent and plastic cards you use to wedge the old battery pack out.
At some point even without my base level of unearned confidence I might have built up enough real experience to feel OK trying more DIY repairs, but I think it did make me more willing to try stuff in the first place. But now, after all that? My default is that I assume I can fix something, or at least I assume I can get it to the point I can see it's not worth fixing. In rare cases I'll determine that something can be fixed, just not by me, but that's not where I start.
posted by fedward at 10:02 AM on March 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
Undenting a car bumper with hot water (my spouse's accomplishments, not mine).
I'm looking forward to taking the basic plumbing and electrical classes at the Rebuilding Center.
posted by spamandkimchi at 10:02 AM on March 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
I'm looking forward to taking the basic plumbing and electrical classes at the Rebuilding Center.
posted by spamandkimchi at 10:02 AM on March 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
I've done so much car repair on my own by finding the right videos from generous and experienced mechanics or fellow DIYers. I've learned you can do so much with just a ratchet and a set of sockets; at the end of the day many repairs are just knowing what parts to unscrew, what things to pull on, and then what parts to replace them with. I've replaced sensors for $40 and an hour of labor instead of paying $800 to a shop, and I never go to a shop for basic things like changing headlights, filters, or failed fuses.
Undenting a car bumper with hot water (my spouse's accomplishments, not mine).
Yes, this! I fixed a dent with 12 liters of boiling water and some pushing; it's like magic!
posted by Theiform at 10:05 AM on March 27, 2023
Undenting a car bumper with hot water (my spouse's accomplishments, not mine).
Yes, this! I fixed a dent with 12 liters of boiling water and some pushing; it's like magic!
posted by Theiform at 10:05 AM on March 27, 2023
Changing filters and nozzle, annual cleaning for my home's oil boiler.
Sanding and refinishing wood floors.
Skim coat and restore damaged paint laster walls and ceiling.
posted by nothing.especially.clever at 10:09 AM on March 27, 2023
Sanding and refinishing wood floors.
Skim coat and restore damaged paint laster walls and ceiling.
posted by nothing.especially.clever at 10:09 AM on March 27, 2023
- replaced a side mirror on a car (maybe two cars, can't remember)
- replaced a radio in a car
- replaced a rear-view mirror in a car
- replaced a light switch with a dimmer switch
- minor drywall repair
- replaced wire shelving with solid wood shelving
- replaced wire shelving 'hang clothes hangers on this wire' system with long, continuous closet hanger bar
- built a sofa (mostly - in progress - and it's gonna look odd)
- fixed wooden lattice on deck
- replaced AC floor registers
- re-glued chair rungs
- replaced doorknob
- fixed many loose cabinet doors by unscrewing hinges, re-filling screw holes, re-drilling holes (smaller), and reattaching hinges
- replaced showerheads
- replaced soil in garden area
- fixed drainage problem in lawn area by creating a small trench
- removed vertical blind system and replaced with double curtain rods
- replaced overhead light fixture with a brighter one
posted by amtho at 10:20 AM on March 27, 2023
- replaced a radio in a car
- replaced a rear-view mirror in a car
- replaced a light switch with a dimmer switch
- minor drywall repair
- replaced wire shelving with solid wood shelving
- replaced wire shelving 'hang clothes hangers on this wire' system with long, continuous closet hanger bar
- built a sofa (mostly - in progress - and it's gonna look odd)
- fixed wooden lattice on deck
- replaced AC floor registers
- re-glued chair rungs
- replaced doorknob
- fixed many loose cabinet doors by unscrewing hinges, re-filling screw holes, re-drilling holes (smaller), and reattaching hinges
- replaced showerheads
- replaced soil in garden area
- fixed drainage problem in lawn area by creating a small trench
- removed vertical blind system and replaced with double curtain rods
- replaced overhead light fixture with a brighter one
posted by amtho at 10:20 AM on March 27, 2023
Replaced my car's door handle. That really sucked, but it wasn't $500 worth of suck for a $30 part. I really hate working on cars.
Repaired my fridge by replacing a tiny switch for the defroster. There are so many of them, I had to take it a guy to find the right one.
Replaced the safety latch on my microwave. That was pretty easy. I couldn't believe the terrible design.
I really hate industrial designers.
I can do most house things. Drywall, add a window, brickwork, concrete. It's all pretty easy but insanely labor intensive, and you have to buy a bunch of tools to make it easier.
posted by The_Vegetables at 3:11 PM on March 27, 2023
Repaired my fridge by replacing a tiny switch for the defroster. There are so many of them, I had to take it a guy to find the right one.
Replaced the safety latch on my microwave. That was pretty easy. I couldn't believe the terrible design.
I really hate industrial designers.
I can do most house things. Drywall, add a window, brickwork, concrete. It's all pretty easy but insanely labor intensive, and you have to buy a bunch of tools to make it easier.
posted by The_Vegetables at 3:11 PM on March 27, 2023
replaced screaming banshee fan in the fridge
replaced computer control panel and igniters on the stove
replaced the button panel that controls the windows in the car
For a long time I wondered how I could snake the drains in the sinks that are covered by a screen/filter that's fixed in place. Then one time I had a professional plumber come to snake a drain and I saw him just take apart the S-curve pipe under the sink, and insert the snake from there. Oh, duh!
I shan't bore you with all the things I've built for myself, except to say that I bought some silicone to create a tight-sealing gasket around a screen that inserts into the shower drain. I could only figure out how to buy the silicone in a large quantity that made it stupid expensive, but now I won't have to snake that particular drain twice a year.
posted by polecat at 5:21 PM on March 27, 2023
replaced computer control panel and igniters on the stove
replaced the button panel that controls the windows in the car
For a long time I wondered how I could snake the drains in the sinks that are covered by a screen/filter that's fixed in place. Then one time I had a professional plumber come to snake a drain and I saw him just take apart the S-curve pipe under the sink, and insert the snake from there. Oh, duh!
I shan't bore you with all the things I've built for myself, except to say that I bought some silicone to create a tight-sealing gasket around a screen that inserts into the shower drain. I could only figure out how to buy the silicone in a large quantity that made it stupid expensive, but now I won't have to snake that particular drain twice a year.
posted by polecat at 5:21 PM on March 27, 2023
Stain the deck. Unclog the lawnmower fuel line. Lots of interior house painting. Finish an unfinished basement bedroom (insulation / framing / electrical / drywall / texture / paint). Install vinyl flooring. Replace microwave heat sensor. Crown and baseboard molding. Fix leaky toilet. Fix leaky faucets. Maintain a rose garden.
The one I wouldn't do again myself is drywall. It's really hard to get it seamlessly smooth.
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 6:22 PM on March 27, 2023
The one I wouldn't do again myself is drywall. It's really hard to get it seamlessly smooth.
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 6:22 PM on March 27, 2023
This thread is closed to new comments.
It's also incredibly cost-effective. Our total cost for materials to do 20+ screens was around $120, and we were quoted $50-$75 per window to have them done. Takes about 15-20 minutes per window.
posted by Doofus Magoo at 3:20 AM on March 27, 2023 [10 favorites]