Some DIY bathroom repairs you can tackle yourself

Maybe you haven’t tried much do-it-yourself plumbing before, but there are ways to make these projects go more smoothly.

Here are a few tips on two important projects you may want to consider tackling in your bathroom:

Replace water supply lines on sinks and toilets

If you live in an older home, you may have all-metal copper lines or plastic lines that supply water to sinks and toilets. You need to replace those lines with new braided stainless steel lines that have brass – not plastic — nuts for fastening the lines to the fixture.

The older lines are very prone to wear and may burst, which can lead to flooding in your home.

Shut off the main water line outside your house before beginning the project. After doing that, drain all the water lines by going to the lowest faucet in your home and opening it.

Once you’re removed and replaced the lines, be sure to thoroughly test for leaks and drips when you turn the water back on.

Among the supplies you’ll need for the project include a small bucket for draining water, plumber’s Teflon tape and possible channel locks, rags and towels to mop up spills.

Tune up your toilets

If you’ve noticed that your toilets are no longer in smooth working order, you may want to check out the following possible areas of your bathroom plumbing and maybe call a plumber.

Flapper

If you hear water constantly running in the tank or if the tank is flushing by itself, it could be a sign of a bad flapper – that device that covers the hole at the bottom of the tank.

This is probably a part you can easily replace yourself. Be sure to take your current flap along when you go to the hardware store to get a replacement.

Flush handle

While checking the flush handle, check the strap that connects the flapper to the flush handle. Make sure the strap isn’t too loose or tight. Make sure the flush handle is tightly secured to the wall of the tank.

If it’s loose, simply reach in the tank and tighten the nut.

Base

Check for leaks at the base of the toilet. If you have one, it’s likely because of a faulty or older wax ring. Although you might want to call a plumber, you can actually do this fix yourself.

Bowl

As for the bowl itself, check to make sure the water is flowing smoothly in and out with no obstructions. Also make sure that you aren’t flushing things like facial tissue, cotton swabs or other non-toilet paper items.

Multiple flushes

If you notice that your toilet is requiring many multiple flushes on a regular basis, you may want to give a plumber a phone call.

For more homeowner advice, DIY tips and videos, and information about all the projects around your house, home, castle or cabin, visit Arizona’s largest collection of homeowner DIY advice and information at RosieontheHouse.com.

And if you are in need of a quality contractor you know you can trust, visit our list of Arizona’s very best contractors or service providers for your home improvement projects at RosieontheHouse.com – Arizona’s most-trusted referral network.

Tune in to KTAR every Saturday morning from 7-11 a.m. for the Rosie on the House broadcast!