Although you may be tempted to avoid the prices of professional contractors, you will often need their help in dealing with maintenance and home improvement. Home repairs and maintenance can turn out to be trick and complex for those with no experience of their own, so it is likely you may do more harm than good. If you don’t have the experience you can do some simple maintenance done by following these tips:

• The Toilet

Any water leaking from the tank in your toilet and going down the drain results in money literally going down the drain as well. This can have variations, such as dealing different levels of water damage to your bathroom as well. If you want to find whether your toilet is leaking, then you should add a bit of food coloring to the tank itself. Come back after an hour or so and check the color of the water in the bowl. If you find out the toilet is leaking, then you will need to replace the flapper or seals. Remember to shut off the water so you’ll be able to work in peace. Flush the toilet so the tank will be empty and dismantle the mechanism so you’ll be able to change the flapper. Place the new one on and replace everything the way it was before turning the water back on.

• The Faucets

If the faucets around your home are leaking, this means you have washers that have been worn out with use. These types of seals are used inside the handles of your faucets, but in most cases they are made of rubber which wears out quickly. You should replace them by once again closing the main water supply, then unscrewing the handle and replacing the old washer with a new one so it will seal properly.

• The Washing Machine and Dryer

You should check your washing machine on a regular basis for any possible leaks or other mechanical issues. You should keep in mind that the most commonly used reason for insurance claims is the possible leaks in the machine’s water supply. Check the water lines at least once a year and replace them if you see evidence of any corrosion or leaks. You should check for possible discoloration of metal pipes as this may indicate issues that need to be addressed. The drain hoses of your washing machine are very important as they are pretty much one of the few things that stops the water flow from invading your floors.

You should also see how well the drain lines are fitted by using pliers to check the tension. You should make sure they are tightened up until you can’t tighten any more. Any plastic lines should be replaced every three years or so.

The dryer on the other hand will need to be cleaned from lint as often as possible, otherwise you risk letting it collect and heat up until the point of ignition. Regular cleaning will also prolong the life of the heating elements inside.

This article has been created by Emily Bennett on behalf of: Movers London