If you’re looking for ways to cut costs on repairs and do them yourself, there are plenty of ways you can do so. It’ll help save you money and make you savvier with how to fix up things around your house. It’s always helpful to learn these types of skills because they’ll stay with you throughout your home ownership journey.

Here are a few tips:

  1. Washing machine and dryer. You’ll want to make sure that you check your washing machine regularly because it could spring a leak, especially in its supply hoses. In fact, many insurance claims are due to leaks from washing machines and water damage from those leaks, which will certainly be costly. You should inspect them every year to make sure they look good and there aren’t any cracks or holes, and if they aren’t made of plastic, you should replace them every three years. Drain hoses can also go awry, and when they do, it can lead to more leaking and water damage. These also need to regularly inspected because they could rust and might need to be replaced if they are. From there, you can check how tight the drain lines are, but it could get loose. If it does, you’ll just need to use a wrench to tighten it. And plastic ones will need to be replaced every three years.With a dryer, you’ll want to regularly clean the lint screen after use. If you don’t, it could actually ignite and might light your house on fire. It also ensures that the heating elements of your dryer will stay intact for longer. You’ll also want to make sure you remove any fabric softener residue as well to preserve the lint screen.
  2. Humidifier. Climate control systems will have an in-duct humidifier that keeps the air humid during the winter when the air might otherwise be too uncomfortably dry. However, if they aren’t cleaned or maintained as often as they need, they could spread a ton of bacteria and mold into the air and actually end up being somewhat dangerous to you. At the end of every winter time season, you’ll need to drain a humidifier unit so you can remove all the old water so that it doesn’t sit in the unit and start breeding bacteria and mold. If you’re looking to clean it out yourself, you can use vinegar and warm water, which will break down any built up mineral deposits within the humidifier.