Being a homeowner comes with a lot of responsibility. It also comes with a lot of pesky problems that can arise. From squeaking floors, to cracks in the ceiling, to leaking tubs, homeowners stand to face a lot of challenges when it comes to home upkeep. Many times when these problems arise, stress is quick to follow. To help you get through these problems with ease, follow the solutions provided below to make dealing with pesky home issues simpler.
Squeaking Floors: Annoying squeaky floors are extremely common in homes, especially older one. As you walk across a floor, the boards rub against each other to produce the squeaks. Traditional hardwood strip flooring is usually the most common to produce creaks. One of the quickest ways to fix a squeaky floor is to use tiny wood shims. When the floor is on top of a basement or crawl space, have someone go underneath while another person walks above. When you locate the spot making the squeak, take a shim, apply glue and tap it into the space between joint and sub-floor to prevent further squeaking.
Ceiling Cracks: All houses, no matter what their age, can be subject to movement. Houses shrink and expand throughout periods of cold and heat. Movement can happen due to settling of the house, which can also cause cracks. These cracks are natural to any home, but homeowners do not want cracks to be visible. A simple way to fix ceiling cracks only takes a few steps. First, you need to remove the old drywall patches and tape. Then attach screws to attic blocks. Next, widen the ceiling crack with a scrapper tool, then apply drywall tape and joint compound, or mud. Finally, smooth the surface, sand and add a fresh coat of paint. If you get stuck, there are many tutorials online to help you along the way.
Leaking Bathtub Faucet- Worn rubber washers, seals or gaskets are the main causes of bathtub faucet leaks. These leaks can leave stains in the tub or shower and slowly add to your water bill. The first and most important step of fixing a faucet is to turn off the water intake to your house. Next, open both hot and cold valves to drain any remaining water. Then remove the handles from the wall. Once the handles are removed, take out the stem or the cartridge of the faucet; this will be the old piece that you will replace. Finally after the stem or cartridge is removed, you can go to work replacing your faucet with new pieces, which will include the stem, washers and seals. If you have a larger leak that you don’t feel comfortable dealing with on your own, contact McLoughlin Plumbing Heating and Cooling.
Recall upon these tips the next time you are faced with a pesky home improvement problem!
