Basic home maintenance skills

What are the basic home maintenance skills every homeowner should have? And when should they call in the experts to tackle a job? A couple of local home improvement experts have some answers.

- Electric - Every homeowner should have basic electric skills that enable them to change out a light fixture, said Mike Christopher, superintendent at JWL Construction. Beyond that, he recommends hiring a qualified electrician because working with electricity requires extensive knowledge and safety skills.

Homeowners should also know the following:

- A/C - Where the air conditioning return is located and how to change A/C filters, Christopher said. They should be changed every 30 days for optimum performance and to extend the life of the unit, he said. “It’s very easy to do, but you’d be surprised how many people I see that don’t even know where it (the return) is.”

- Sprinklers - How to change sprinkler heads or install a timer to help conserve water, he said.

- Painting - How to paint their own homes.

- Roofs - How to do minor roof repair. Sometimes roof leaks are caused by a couple of missing shingles, Christopher said. If homeowners know how to replace a few shingles, they could save money by doing it themselves as well as by preventing water damage to their homes, he said.

- Plumbing - How to change out faucets or shut-off valves at sinks and toilets. “It’s good to have a shut-off valve at every plumbing fixture, like toilets and sinks,” Christopher said. But they need to be changed out every five to seven years because the hard water in Yuma takes its toll on them, he said.

Homeowners should also know how to replace a flapper in a toilet, said Carlos Lopez, manager at Triple S Plumbing, LLC. But if there is rust in the toilet or bolts, or if they don’t have the knowledge or right tools, they could actually crack the tank or bowl, he said.

Where to learn basic skills

Christopher said basic home maintenance skills can be learned online, through home improvement books and at a workshops at Lowe’s and Home Depot.

When to call an expert

Homeowners can save money and even have fun while improving their homes themselves, he said. However, if they feel uncomfortable about tackling a job, that’s when they should call an expert, he said.

Lopez said do-it-yourself home maintenance can sometimes lead to more costly repairs. And it can be time consuming. “An expert could maybe save you some time. You could be wasting most of the day trying to do it yourself, but it might take an experienced guy a lot less time.”

JWL Construction can be reached at 344-8513, 2324 E. 15th Place.

Triple S Plumbing is located at 275 E. 30th Place, Suite B, and the number is 317-0925.