It’s well known that a dripping tap is more than capable of driving even the most chipper individual to a state of madness. In most cases, leaky taps are caused when the washer used to stop water flow starts to wear down and crack or split, allowing a small amount of water to come through and slowly drip into your sink (and soul). This is common for older basins with individual hot and cold taps. The good news is, these washers are easy to replace yourself, and cheap to buy.

• Before you begin, turn off the main water supply, drain the water in the pipes, and then pop the plug into the sink so you don’t lose any small parts.
• Once the water is off, you’ll want to remove the tap cover or handle. There’s usually a small screw holding it on, but you may need to remove a cover to access the screw. This can usually be done with a flat head screwdriver or an allen key.
• Next you’ll be loosening and removing the cartridge - you’ll need an adjustable or ring spanner for this. The old washer will be attached to the bottom of the cartridge. Remove this carefully as it’s likely to come off in bits.
• Clean off any residue with some steel wool and place your new washer onto the cartridge.
• Reattach the cartridge and the tap cover, turn your water back on at the mains, and you’re away. For newer taps, you’ll generally need to replace the full cartridge rather than just the washer.

Watch Stan replace a tap washer in the video below.

Unblocking a drain is one of those jobs where there’s no sure-fire method that will work every time. Plumbing systems are complicated, and blockages can happen in places that are very hard to access and difficult to fix without first qualifying as a plumber. Before you call in the big guns though, there are a couple of home remedies you can try.

• First try pouring some boiling water down the drain. You may need to do this a couple of times. If you’re not seeing the water drain faster, the blockage is likely too stubborn for hot water.
• Next you’ll want to try the baking soda and vinegar approach. Many of us learned about the chemical reaction of these two household items as kids, and now you’ve got a real world application for it. For those unfamiliar, the vinegar will start to fizz, bubble and expand once in contact with the baking soda. You’ve been warned.

• You’ll want two parts vinegar to one part baking soda. First, tip your baking soda over the plug hole, then pour on your first measure of vinegar. The reaction will begin, and as the vinegar begins to drain, it will continue reacting inside the drain.
• Pour the second measure of vinegar down the drain to push the baking soda mixture further down.
• Once the sink has drained, pour some more boiling water down to help clear anything left. Now if that doesn’t work, you’ll want to try a plunger, which will loosen a blockage with moving air, or a drain auger, which will push it out physically. There’s also a number of highly effective drain unblocking fluids available that can help. If you’re still stuck, it might be time to call your local plumber.

Painting prep can often be a bigger job than the painting itself, and to get the most out of your new paint job, you have to nail the preparation.

It starts with taking a long hard look at the surface you’re painting. Assess it with a critical eye, and make note of any imperfections, even if they’re small. In many cases, a coat of paint can magnify an imperfection and spoil an otherwise flawless paint job.

• All peeling paint needs to be scraped away. Older paint that needs to be removed can often be lifted with the aid of a heat gun, but if you’re painting window frames, a chemical paint stripper is better because the heat can weaken the glass. Once you’ve lifted the old paint, you can remove it pretty easily with a paint scraper. Holes and cracks will need to be filled (see the next entry in our list for more on that), and once you’ve got your surface mostly flat with no gaps, holes, or peeled paint edges, give the whole area a decent, thorough sanding.
• Wipe away any sanding dust with a damp cloth, and use sugar soap to clean off any grease, dirt and dust that’s found its way to your surface. Mask the edges of your painting area if necessary, and then you’re ready for your first coat - which should always be a primer to give your top coats better adhesion for the best finished result.
• The best rule of thumb with painting tools is that the better the quality, the better the result. If you’ve got a whole house to paint, it’s best to invest in quality brushes and rollers because they’ll last the whole job and give you better results. Where possible, use a roller over a brush because it’ll give you wider, more even coverage.
• Always work from the unpainted area back into the painted area and maintain a wet edge to avoid overlap.
• The best time to start painting is early in the day, as soon as the morning dew has dried up, and where possible, avoid painting surfaces in direct sunlight, as this will quicken the paint drying and give you less time to work with.
• For clean up, rinse your brushes and rollers in water for water based paints, and turpentine for solvent based paints. Remove as much paint as you can, especially around the metal part of the brush that holds the bristles. Give roller sleeves a wash with warm soapy water after using turpentine. Hang them up to dry (do not let them dry while bristles are bent) and then store them for next time.

Painting really is a big job, but if you follow the guide you’ll get a great finish. Plus, you can always check in with Stan for more tips on painting exteriors or painting interiors.

Now holes and scratches are two very different things, but being able to restore your plasterboard wall to its original glory is a great skill to have.

We have a great method for fixing holes less than 150mm in diameter, but you will need a bit of fresh plasterboard to do it, as well as a patching compound, some jointing tape, and a broad knife.

• First, you’ll want to make a neat rectangle around the hole. Cut out the area with a keyhole saw, a craft knife, or a multitool.
• Next you’ll want to sand around the edges of the hole.
• The next step is to cut a piece of fresh plasterboard, but this piece needs to be longer than the rectangle you’ve cut out by about 20mm. This will act as the back block for the patch.
• Whack a nail through the middle of your back block and coat the top and bottom ends with a patch filling compound.
• Insert it into the hole and pull the nail so the freshly compounded ends meet the inside of the wall and hold.
• Leave it for an hour to dry, and then gently push the nail back through the hole.

• Next, you’ll cut a fresh piece of plasterboard the same size as the rectangle hole. Put some compound over one side and push that onto your back block.
• From there, you’ll trowel compound over the joints and then add lengths of jointing tape to cover the edges. Be careful to avoid any air bubbles under the tape.
• Give this about 24 hours to dry and then finish it with a last coat of compound, smoothing out the edges as you go.
• Another 24 hours to dry and you’ll be ready to wipe away any rough parts and lightly sand until it’s smooth.
• From there, it’s ready to be painted to match the rest of the wall.

Scratches are a much easier solve.

• First, sand around the area, moving along the length of the scratch rather than in a circular motion.
• Use your compound to fill the scratch, and smooth it out as you go.
• After 24 hours you can sand down the rough parts and then touch up with paint to match the wall.

If you’d prefer a visual guide, check out these videos of Stan patching a hole in the wall or fixing a scratch in the wall to see how it’s done.

Adding a shelf to a bedroom or living room is a great way to add a bit of storage or display space to your home. Floating shelves are a great option, with tidy looks that won’t distract too much from what’s on the shelf or the rest of your decor. Better yet, they’re not super difficult to install.

• The first thing you’ll need is a stud finder, just be advised that asking a friend or family member if you can borrow one will lead to Dad-level puns you may never recover from.

• Hearing the phrase “why do you need a stud finder, I’m right here?” isn’t the only risk associated with this job. The stud finder will help you locate the timber frame under the plasterboard, and that’s where you’ll want to put your fixings, getting a secure hold and avoiding any wiring inside the wall.

• Hold your shelf, or shelf frame up to where it needs to go and ensure you use a level to make sure it’s straight. From there you’ll want to mark off on the wall the points where your mounting screws will go. Use a pencil, so you can erase any markings if you make a mistake. Before you drill any holes, make sure you check the length of the mounting screws (or their wall plugs) and if necessary, mark it off on your drill bit to avoid going too deep.

• From there, it’s just a matter of screwing in your fixings and then you’re done. New shelf, no worries.

Hanging up some art or photos is the perfect way to make your place feel like home. Coincidentally, it’s also one of the easiest jobs on this list. We actually have a great tool to help you hang pictures but you can also do it with a measuring tape and a pencil. First things first, pop your framed artwork onto your scales to see how much it weighs. Then, you’ll want to grab yourself a plasterboard wall anchor. These are typically rated to handle different weights, so grab one that’s rated for a higher weight than your picture in its frame.

• Figure out where you want it to hang and make small marks on the wall marking the frame’s top left and right corners (again, use a pencil, just in case).
• Flip your frame over and pull the string on the back towards the top of the frame, so it’s tight.
• Make sure the point is in the centre of the frame. Then, measure from the top edge of the frame to the string’s point.
• Mark this off on your wall, then grab a screwdriver and drive your plasterboard anchor into the wall, insert your mounting screw, and then hang your picture, easy as.

The filters in your heat pump or air conditioner are playing a significant role in keeping the air in your home clean. However, this is a frequently overlooked element to a healthy home and giving them a regular clean is essential to keep the heat pump working efficiently.

• Step one, remove the filters. These are usually accessible by lifting the top panel of the indoor unit. Sometimes they are sitting in place, sometimes they will need to be unclipped, though some units have a button on the remote that will roll them out for you.
• Step two, give them a nice clean in the sink with some hot water and dishwashing liquid.
• Once they’ve dried, you’re ready for step three, putting them back into your heat pump.

It’s that easy. It’s best to tackle these every three to six months, but thankfully, it’s a quick job and you and your whanau will be better for it.

Heat pump filter cleaning was popular enough to land on this list, but it’s important to note there are other appliances in your home with filters that need to be cleaned regularly.

Here’s a quick guide to filter cleaning schedules for appliances.

Guttering plays a hugely important role in keeping your home healthy and looking tidy. Unfortunately, it’s one that often gets overlooked until something needs to be replaced. Replacing large sections of guttering can be a huge job, so it’s best to check them regularly and clear away debris and blockages to keep them clean and the rainwater flowing into your downpipes rather than onto your walls or worse, windows.

• Make sure you set your ladder up safely before climbing it, and don’t lean it against the gutters as this can damage them.
• Start by stuffing a large rag into the downpipe openings in your gutters, or simply detaching them from the gutters. This will prevent any debris from falling down while you work.
• Next, grab a bucket and a gutter scoop (or put some gloves on) and go around the perimeter of your home scooping out any buildup of dirt or leaves and dropping them in your bucket.
• Empty the bucket regularly so it doesn’t get too heavy and disrupt your balance while you’re working at height.

• When you’re done clearing debris, sluice out the gutters with your garden hose. It should flow freely from here but if the water is slow to drain, it may mean there is a blockage in your downpipes. That’s a trickier fix, but as you may have guessed, Stan has a great technique you can learn.

If you don’t have a ladder, you can use an extendable gutter cleaner to clean your gutters, though with heavy or stubborn debris, you might not get all of it. There’s also a number of products that can help prevent debris from building up in your gutters. You should still check in regularly, but it’s unlikely you’ll have much to do to keep them clear with the right preventative maintenance.

Whether you own a lifestyle block or you’re renting an apartment, growing veges and herbs yourself is a relatively easy and incredibly rewarding thing to do. Even with a little bit of kitchen windowsill or balcony space you can get a bit of fresh deliciousness to give your meals a bit of extra flavour.

Every plant is different and has its own needs to thrive. From the amount of space, sunlight, water and water a plant needs to the considerations you’ll need to make to stop insects or birds eating them first, what works for one may not work for another.

For that reason, we’re not going to give you blanket advice for growing veges and herbs. You’ll learn best from our dedicated growing guides how to get your favourite veges or herbs to thrive in the space you have available. We are also lucky that just about any packet of seeds you purchase or plant you pick up from the garden centre will have helpful growing instructions on the back of the packet or tag.

Our best advice for starting your own vege or herb garden is to be patient, be ready to try different companions or experiment with where you plant your favourites. Sometimes it doesn’t go according to plan, but our Healthy Plant Guarantee means we’ll replace any plant you buy from us if it fails to thrive within 12 months - you will need proof of purchase, so hold onto your receipts. Chat to a team member in the garden centre for more info.

Before we say anything else about lawn mowing, you need to know this: If you have a petrol lawn mower, it also needs engine oil. Failure to fill your mower with oil will result in a very broken mower. Don’t forget the oil!

With that out of the way, let’s talk lawns. We Kiwi absolutely love them. They’re as vital to summer as a cloudless sky or a couple of scoops of hot chips with sauce. While we can still love and enjoy an unhealthy, patchy lawn, there’s nothing nicer than a tidy, lush, even lawn.

When it comes to mowing, there’s a few things you’ll need to sort out before you fire up the mower.

• Firstly, check that its battery is full or that your petrol and oil levels are full enough for the job.
• Then you’ll want to remove any sticks, toys, or other objects from the lawn and put them out of the way.
• If you’ve got a line trimmer, it’s best to use that to tackle your edges first, and cut down any particularly long patches of grass. If you don’t have a trimmer, that’s okay, you should still start with the edges.
• Make sure your blade height is set so that you won’t scrape the concrete if you’re mowing around pathways or driveways.

Once you’re doing the main body of the lawn, it can be tempting to mow the lawns very short. You might think this will keep them tidier for longer, but this can actually allow the sun to penetrate further into the soil and feed weeds beneath your beloved lawn. It’s best to go for a medium to high height - enough that they’ll be even, but not so much that you’re rolling over grass without touching it. As a general rule of thumb, you should never cut off more than a third of the length at a time.

To help promote even, upright growth, it’s best to cross mow - first mow up and down the lawn, and then from left to right at a 90 degree angle. This will also produce a picture-perfect finish. If your property is on a slant or hill, pushing across the slope rather than up and down will save you a lot of energy.

Regular mowing will keep your grass healthy, whether you’re mulching the grass back onto the lawn or using the catcher to bag it up. A good general idea of a mowing schedule is fortnightly during the summer months and monthly during the winter one, though this will depend on the climate in your region and your own preferences.

If you need to add more petrol during your mow, turn the mower off before refilling.

Don’t forget, once you’ve finished the mow, to give your mower a bit of a clean to remove the stuck grass and keep the chassis clear.

If you find your mower is underperforming, it may mean you need to sharpen or replace your blades. Dull blades not only reduce efficiency, they leave your lawn looking rough and unhealthy.

For tips on which lawn mower will be best for your place, check out this guide, and find more information on caring for your lawn here.