Home Maintenance Skills You Should Master

Being a millennial in today's real estate market is tough.  Between mountains of student debt and astronomical real estate prices, it is harder than ever to save for a down payment.  If you're luck enough to somehow get through all of that and finally buy a home, then we have some news for you.  You actually have to take care of it!  And maintaining a home can be enough to make you question why you ever gave up renting.But no worries, we are here to help.  We are sharing some important home maintenance skills you should master once you become a homeowner.  Keep reading to learn more and click this link to read the full article.Generally speaking, millennials are not known to be obsessive home DIYers. In fact, as a group, they tend to shy away from serious home maintenance, says Ed Padilla, the founder of the Association of Certified Handyman Professionals. They’ll call someone to fix the problem rather than prevent the problem, he says. And yeah, those costs can quickly add up.

So now that you've finally achieved the American Dream, don't you want to rebuild your piggybank of hard-earned cash? We thought so! That's why we've ID'd a few crucial maintenance skills and repairs that millennial new homeowners should know how to tackle themselves.Don't panic (or stop reading)! We promise they're so simple you'll wonder why you were ever Yelping a handyman in the first place. All you need is a little know-how and some elbow grease.

1. Unclog the kitchen sink

So you got a little overzealous with the coconut oil, or just forgot that you don’t actually have a garbage disposal? It happens! Just like death and taxes, it's inevitable that at some point in owning a home, you'll have to unclog the kitchen sink.How to do it: You should start by filling the sink with water and letting it sit for one to two hours, according to Doyle James, president of Mr. Rooter Plumbing. The weight and pressure of the water may be enough to push the stoppage down. If not, unbend a wire coat hanger, create a small hook on one end, and start fishing. Run the hot water once you’ve extracted all the drain gunk. (Sometimes a plunger will also work.)You can also try a mixture of equal parts baking soda and vinegar. Combine one-third of a cup of each and pour it down the drain when it starts to fizz, James recommends. Let it sit for at least an hour—ideally overnight—and flush with hot water.Boiling water alone might be enough if you slowly pour it down your drain in two or three stages, spaced a few seconds apart.To avoid any future clogs, rinse dishes with cold water to help the grease travel through the drains more easily. Warm water will just allow the grease to cool down in the lines, where it becomes solid and coats the inside.