8 DIY Repair Tutorials To Help You Make the Most of What You've Got!
Reduce, reuse and recycle – but what about the other ‘R’ – REPAIR.
Become the ultimate do it yourselfer by tackling these simple repairs.
Repairing recognizes the value of things rather than treating everything as disposable.
Why buy when you can DIY? Consider all the resources that go into extracting base materials and the energy in the manufacturing of each new product. This excess production can be avoided by extending the life of something that already exists.
Have a look at these common DIY projects you can do at home, many in less than ten minutes!
1. How To Mend A Hole In Jeans By Hand
Textile waste is a growing problem!
The average Canadian throws away 37 kilograms of textiles each year. About 90% of these textiles are reusable or may require a simple repair to give them another life. Repairs such as adding a button, repairing a seam, or mending jeans. Flex your creative do it yourselfer attitude and try a contrasting material to proudly display your handywork.
Learn how to mend jeans without a sewing machine at the tutorial below.
2. How To Fix A Running Toilet - A classic do it yourselfer task!
A running toilet happens when the flapper valve does not seal correctly in between uses. There are many reasons for this which are explored in the video below.
Leaking or running toilets in a single-family home can waste 1,800 liters of water each day. If it’s time to replace your toilet, make the switch to a low-flow model! Learn other unique water-saving tips in our latest blog post here.
3. How To Repair A Scratch in Wood Furniture With a Walnut
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, furniture waste in landfills grew from 7.6 million tons in 2005 to 9.69 million tons in 2015.
If you have a scratch in wood furniture, try to soften the scratch and fill it in with a simple repair. If the walnut does not work, you can try a wax crayon in a colour that matches the wood.
4. How To Fix A Smelly Washing Machine
This one might be more of a maintenance tip but it is best to keep things in tip-top shape before needing to repair. Being a do it yourselfer includes taking preventative action to ensure your appliances are operating efficiently.
5. How To Fix An Off The Track Zipper
If you find yourself with a broken zipper, don’t toss the item. See if you can be a do it yourselfer and fix it with a fix in this next video.
6. How To Unclog A Sink
Maintenance and repairs go hand in hand. Taking care of your things with regular maintenance can help prevent damage that requires repairs.
Take for example a clogged sink. With regular maintenance and good sink habits, you can prevent damage which can help prevent waste.
7. How To Repair a Dripping Faucet
A faucet dripping at a rate of one drip per second will cause 3,000 gallons of water waste over a year.
According to a poll, while 75% of Canadians would fix an internet outage within a few hours or a day, only half (52%) would fix a leaky faucet within the same time frame.
Wat-er you waiting for? Fix that drip! Every drop counts!
Water security is an alarming issue worldwide that more people need to be aware of. We need to conserve it as much as we can even though for some it may feel like we have endless amounts of it.
8. How To Change The Air Filter On Your Car
Did you know that changing your air filter can help increase fuel efficiency?
This is because a clean air filter improves airflow to your engine so your car doesn’t have to work as hard. If left for too long, this insufficient air supply may lead the engine to burn on a fuel-dominant mixture. This is dangerous because the fuel will not burn entirely before it enters the exhaust and can leaves the car as a sooty black residue.
Any action to help reduce your fuel use helps reduce emissions.
Check the owner’s manual of your car to see how often you should change the filter but a good rule is every 20,000 km driven.
Car maintenance is a Green Act you can log on our free mobile app.
Are you ready to be a do it yourselfer?
Try one of these simple repairs right now or harness the power of Youtube to find a fix for that item you’ve been meaning to sort out.
You will learn a new skill and finish feeling empowered and accomplished.
You give that item extended value in contrast to a society that encourages overconsumption and waste of natural resources.
But, let’s be honest not everything can be fixed on your own, if you do hire a skilled tradesperson to help with the repair – choose a service provider that shares your values for protecting the planet.
Lastly, before sending things off to the landfill, look for unique recycling resources that can help preserve the materials for yet another use you might not have considered!
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