So you’re running a mobile home park and you’re looking to cut corners on maintenance. Taking the do-it-yourself approach is a great way to do just that. Today we’re going to list out some things you can likely do on your own.
It’s likely that many do-it-yourself fixes will come your way. Why turn it over to a professional if it will save you some expense?
Be wise, of course
Obviously, for more intense or dangerous repairs, we suggest you look for a professional contractor. They’ll know exactly how to approach the problem in a timely and safe manner. The temptation of saving a buck is not worth losing a life.
Additionally, sometimes the do-it-yourself approach will cause you more grief. It may be that a repair requires the expertise of a contractor. You don’t want to cause irreparable or more costly damage by doing it on your own.
Tips for DIY repairs and maintenance in your mobile home park
So with the above cautions aside, let’s look at some tips for do it yourself repairs. Mobile home park maintenance doesn’t have to be for the professional contractor alone. Some of the simplest fixes can be done by even the most repair-challenged person.
Sticky cabinet drawers
Got sticky drawers? Not a problem – that’s an easy repair you can tackle! MakelyHome.com suggests you work with a tea light candle. Yes, that’s right- a tea light candle. Candle wax is an excellent and affordable means of getting drawers to pull in and out freely.
To get started, pull out that stubborn drawer and flip it bottom side up onto your table. Now you can pop the tea light out of its metal canister. Rub the tea light across the drawer, where it touches the cabinet frame.
This fix is quick, easy, and affordable.
Squeaky door and cabinet hinges
Are those hinges squeaking unhindered? Well, there’s nothing like WD-40 for that. Apply it to the hinge and swing the door back and forth. This back and forth action will work the oil into the hinge.
Leaking toilet tank
If your toilet is leaking, you may not need to call the plumber. MoneyCrashers.com suggests a nifty little trick. Apply some red food coloring into your toilet tank and leave the room. After an hour, return to the bathroom and see where the red water went.
Pink water in the toilet bowl means you have a leaking tank. You’ll want to replace the flapper.
To do this, you’ll need to cut off the water that feeds into your toilet. Turn off the valve behind your toilet. After you’ve done that, you can flush the toilet to empty it.
Soak up the excess water with a sponge or rag.
Now you can remove the flush chain and remove the old flapper. Plop the new flapper in place and connect the chain. Turn on the water and your toilet is “back in business”.
Loose shower head
A loose showerhead can be a nuisance. You may find the shower heads in some of your mobile homes have become a bit on the loose side. Reinforcement can come to your rescue through the means of expanding foam. Cans of expanding foam may be purchased at your local home improvement store. Spray that stuff into the wall and it will expand to firmly hold the shower head in place.
A fresh coat of paint
Scuffed up, worn walls may shine like new with a quick coat of paint. That alone can save you the painful hours of trying to scrub those marks out. When was the last time that mobile home got freshened up like that anyway?
Window screens in need of repair
Nothing brings down a mobile home’s quality like a ripped window screen.
To remedy this problem, you can just remove the window screens.
Or you could repair them. This may be a better idea, making your home appealing to future tenants.
For one, you can do this efficiently with simple tools and the right material. Fiberglass screen is very forgiving so why not give it ago?
Thorough instructions for window screen repair can be found at this link.
DIY maintenance done wisely
As can be seen in the above paragraphs, do-it-yourself maintenance is no daunting task. With a good head on your shoulders and the right tools at hand, you can mitigate your maintenance expenses.
For ideas on how to keep your mobile home operations behind the scenes, check out our tips.
About Dan Leighton
