Do you think you know your home well enough?

Whether you’re a homeowner or a renter, there are a lot of things you need to know about living in a house. We can say that you need to learn and explore everything in your new crib, so we are here to help you.

Your place will make sure that it will amaze you a lot over the years, whether it’s plumbing, redecoration, maintenance, or any other type of reparations. No one wants to be taken by surprise in a case like this, so we’ve prepared a guide for you. Here are 12 incredible things every senior should know about their home.

1. How to touch up the walls in you home

…Without having to clean afterward!

There’s a slight possibility that you might get frustrated when you have to touch up the walls because the paint is gone in some places. However, you don’t need to mess up a brush just to fix a few spots. Just take an old washcloth and dip it in the paint. This hack will work wonders, especially because the washcloth leaves the same texture as a paint roller, so everything will blend smoothly.

After you’re done with it, you can throw the washcloth away and no mess will be left behind.

2. How to flush the toilet when there’s no power

I learned this trick when I was little and I was visiting a home in the countryside, without any power in the house. Yes, you can still flush the toilet. Just dump a few gallons of water into the bowl or fill the toilet tank. This works just like the regular flush, but it won’t refill the bowl, so you’ll have to repeat the process again.

3. How to deal with drainage 

Water can cause a lot of problems in your home and the majority of them aren’t very cheap. If you know how to deal with drainage issues it will save you a lot of money in the long run. A quick fix you can try is to extend your downspouts, but you should definitely have a drainage plan.

4. Know your electrical system 

It’s not very hard to create an electrical overload, but it can get very dangerous pretty quickly. In order to protect your home and the people who live there from a major incident like a fire, you should really understand how the electrical circuits in your home function. This will allow you to make any sort of DIY improvements you might want, without compromising the integrity of your electrical system.

5. Clean your dryer vents 

As you can imagine, if your dryer vent is plugged, it won’t function the way it’s supposed to. Moreover, it might also be the cause of a house fire, and you surely don’t want something like this to happen in your home!

Experts say that dryers that are placed in the center of the house are more likely to get plugged due to the longer ducts. Some of the reasons why your ducts get clogged are nesting pests, excessive amounts of dirt, and cripple hood flappers. You can easily notice if your dryer vents are clean by the weird smell that comes from there.

In order to clean your vent, you’ll have to completely remove it from the back of the dryer. After that, you can suck the dirt and the debris from the ducts by using a vacuum cleaner or a cleaning kit that has a brush that can be attached to a power drill.

If you have to replace your ducts, it’s better to purchase metal ones, because they will stay cleaner longer, compared to those that are flexible. Another thing that experts recommend is to stay away from plastic because it can cause a fire disaster.

6. Know your exit points

In case of a natural disaster or any other type of damage, one of the most important things you should know is how to get away from your house. Explore your home and identify all the exit points in the rooms, whether it’s a door or a window that leads directly outside.

7. How to use a fire extinguisher

Sure, you might already have a fire extinguisher in the trunk of your car, but do you really know how to use it? Look through the articles posted by the National Fire Protection Association to discover their guide for an easy how-to.

…Don’t neglect this step, because it can save your life! 

8. How to fix your doorknobs

I don’t think there’s anyone who wants to have a loose doorknob at home. If this item is on an external door, there is a slight possibility that you can end up being locked out. Luckily for you, we have a quick way you can fix it: take off the cover plate and fix it with the help of a screwdriver. It’s that simple!

9. How to choose the trees in your yard

Trees can make your front yard or your backyard look more beautiful and put together, so you better choose trees that you will enjoy even after a few years.

There are certain trees you should avoid, such as mulberries (because they’re messy and their fruits might stain your clothes), female ginkgoes (their fruits smells like rotten butter or dog excrement), and cottonwoods (because they’re messy as well and they have bad root systems).

The best thing you can do in order to make sure that you won’t regret your decision after a while is to read about the trees you want to plant and discover their benefits and potential side effects.

…Which kinds of trees are your favorite? Tell us in the comments down below!

10. Repair your loose screw 

I don’t know about you, but loose screws drive me crazy! If that’s the case for you as well, I have an old trick I’ve learned from a carpenter. If there’s a screw hole in your home that is too big, you can simply wrap a part of some steel wool around the screw and then drive it in. This will give just the right amount of friction that is needed to hold the screw in place, but it also takes less fizzing than trying to fill a big hole.

11. How to spot mold 

Mold is one of the worst things that can happen to your home. It’s bad-looking, and stinky, it takes a lot of time to get rid of it, and it can also provoke severe allergies. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the first thing you can do when you see a spot of mold on a hard surface is to get rid of it.

Some types of molds require stronger ways of removal and certain cleaning products. For instance, the Stachybotrys chartarum, which means toxic black mold, grows in places where there shouldn’t be any moisture or water.

This type of mold can easily develop in the pores of drywall, carpets, and even other types of flooring that are damaged by water. Even though it’s gray, black, or green, the first thing you’ll notice is the bad, particular smell.

…If there’s any mold in your house, make sure to take action as soon as possible, because this bacteria is not afraid to extend its surface!

12. Where the water shut-off valve is and how to use it

In conformity with several experts, it’s very important to know where the main water shut-off valve is located, because it can save you from a lot of troubles in case of an incident such as a leaky shower, broken sprinkler head, or a cracked pipe. These small damages can easily turn into expensive chaos if you don’t stop the water flow as soon as possible.

Another reason why you should know how to shut off your water is that it can help prevent frozen pipes from bursting. Experts say that winter temperatures that are below freezing can affect the pipes and the exterior fixtures, which will cause breakage and cracks that might not be visible until spring when it warms up.

There are outdoor water faucets that can break at the wall area and cause damage from the cracked underground pipes because the homeowners didn’t properly clean the water system before the winter’s first freeze occurred.

…Did you know about all these things? Tell us in the comments down below!

…If you enjoyed reading this article and you want to turn your house into a home, make sure to check this one out as well: 13 Amazing Ways to Freshen Up Your Home Without Cleaning It!