DIY Tips for Your Apartment
One of the many benefits of apartment living is that you don’t have to worry about maintenance. It’s pretty easy to submit a maintenance request online and then wait for it to be completed. And sometimes, you do have to wait, especially during the change in seasons when many apartment maintenance crews are spread thin attending to HVAC problems throughout the apartment community. In some cases, maintenance staff is responsible for covering more than one property. Fortunately, there are many minor maintenance problems that you can easily handle yourself. With a few common and inexpensive tools, you can save yourself the wait and frustration by learning a few DIY tasks.
Clogged drains
Hair is the culprit of most bathroom and shower drains. You can unclog those drains yourself with a hair weasel. These are long, thin strips of plastic with one serrated edge. You slip the hair weasel down the drain and the serrated teeth will grab the hair so you can yank it out.
Clogged kitchen sink and garbage disposal
Many times, these problems go hand in hand. A clogged kitchen sink could be caused by debris plugging up the p-trap under the sink and this can be solved by using a plunger to force the clog through the pipe and into the waste disposal system. If the problem is the garbage disposal, press the reset button at the bottom of the unit; if that doesn’t work, use the Allen wrench that came with the disposal to turn the rotor and release the clog. As a note of caution, don’t use a commercial drain cleaner unless it’s OK with your property manager as the harsh chemicals may damage the plumbing.
Clogged toilet
Again, a plunger can usually dislodge clogs. Clogs can be prevented by not flushing anything down the toilet other than toilet paper. This means diapers, feminine hygiene products, cigarette butts, facial tissue, etc.
Changing light bulbs
Unless your apartment has lighting that requires specialized bulbs, you can easily change these yourself.
Changing smoke/CO detector batteries
In some jurisdictions, city codes require property managers to provide batteries for residents. Whether they are provided or you buy them yourself, it’s easy to change the batteries and they need to be changed twice a year. Scheduling a battery change during the changes to and from Daylight Saving Time and Standard Time is a good reminder.
These are just a few simple maintenance tasks residents can perform themselves. Leave major repairs such as malfunctioning appliances, major water leaks, electrical concerns, or issues with doors or windows to the maintenance crew. And always double-check your lease or with your property manager before you attempt any DIY maintenance project that extends beyond the simple basics. While they may appreciate you taking care of the small stuff, they won’t be so happy if you transform a simple problem into a major repair.
Explore a Vision Community Apartment
At Vision Communities, we want try to make the apartment experience as easy as possible. Our property management teams work hard to create living spaces that are headache free and places you’ll want to come home to. We have floor plans that provide your personal space and spacious common areas for you to hang out with your roommate and friends. Our spacious, studio, 1 bedroom, 2 bedroom, and 3 bedroom apartment layouts provide cozy space. Check out our luxurious apartment floorplans in one of our communities and enjoy life at the VC.
Schedule a tour today and see why Vision Communities is a great place to live.