How homeowners can build technical skills via their home upkeep
Homeowners run into technical issues every single day. Their computer may stop working, the dishwasher may not clean the dishes properly, and something may be rattling its way round the pipes.
These issues aren’t uncommon, and neither are the DIY methods to fix them. And that’s how homeowners can build their technical skills and polish the ones they already hold.
As such, here are a couple of ways to get started on both forming and refining technical skills within the home.
Try to diagnose issues yourself
Many homeowners have to diagnose problems around the home on a daily basis. You have to work out why the sink won’t drain away, or why the shower is flooding. You have to figure out why your washing machine is making a funny noise, or why your tumble dryer smells a bit funny.
All of these jobs feed into your technical side, and sharpen your skills when it comes to hands-on mechanical and engineering labour. You might not even realise it, but being a homeowner for 5 to 10 years can make you more effective at spotting problem areas in the home than any professional contractor.
The one thing to do here, to improve your problem solving prowess, is to always diagnose the issue before you throw anything away. A broken appliance needs replacing, but if it’s safe to do so, see if you can work out what part has outlived its life cycle, and how that could cause the item to break down.
Then try out some DIY repairs yourself
What do you think of your own DIY skills? Many people may be less technically competent than they think, but if you’re the other way around, this is another area in which you can build your technical skills.
After all, DIY is all about putting power back into your own hands. It may not be a formal qualification, but it can give you a good background understanding of common engineering faults and how they can be fixed. This could then lead to a lot more confidence in pursuing a technical career, such as in plumbing or electricity.
So, once you’ve diagnosed why the washer won't spin - and it’s perfectly OK to use a video guide to show you the most common reasons this occurs - think about applying your own fix to the machine. Finding the problem part is half the fix; buying a replacement and fitting it is the other, but it’s something that still falls under the DIY umbrella.
Remember, the stakes don’t have to be high here. If you are unable to fix the machine yourself, you could buy a new one or call a professional, so a small repair job like this can simply be good practice.
Homeowners are uniquely placed in understanding how tech issues can affect our lives. If you’re a homeowner who’d like to brush up on their technical skills, be sure to apply the steps above to malfunctioning equipment in your home.
