Carol Campbell, Contributor

Float ball with attachment.

What to do when you just can't get a professional for those minor repairs, like the toilet backing up, the sink that won't drain, and a leaky roof that sends you scurrying for a bucket or an umbrella inside the house, everytime it looks like rain. Here are a few tips.

Blocked drains (kitchen or bathroom sinks):

Most of us reach first for a chemical drain cleaner but be cautioned that these chemicals are extremely toxic, and very dangerous not only to you, but can seriously damage the pipes themselves if used incorrectly. Most of them contain substances which can damage skin, lungs, and other tissues. Read the labels, and follow instructions. Chemical cleaners really should be a last resort. Remember the good old trusty plunger? It is still the most effective way to clear a blockage if a plumber is not needed.

Where pipes are accessible, for example, under the sink, if you're confidently handy, you can try disconnecting the plumbing, to clear whatever is causing the block usually in the elbow joint of the pipe. (Don't forget to turn off the water first, and you might want to get a clothes pin for your nose). Once the blockage is cleared, reconnect, and seal the joints with plumbing tape, and test before turning on the water.

Bathtub blockages are a little trickier, since you don't have easy access to the plumbing. Most blockages here are due to a build-up of soap and hair. First, block up the vent in the bathtub (that's the thing with the holes usually situated just below the faucets in the tub). Bale out the excess water, then pour a measured amount of chemical cleaner down the drain. Wait a few minutes, then pour boiling water directly over the drain, and that should do the trick.

Blocked toilet:

A blocked toilet is usually a result of some unsuitable material being flushed, such as paper towels, newspaper, fabric, or plastics. First, don rubber gloves, bale out the excess water, vigorously plunge until unclogged, then follow with a bucket of water into the toilet bowl.

If the water in the toilet keeps running, but the tank is not filling, more than likely, the flapper ball needs replacing. Over time, these rubber devices can become crystallised, and crack or warp, then won't seat properly to seal the tank. Quite simply, just unhook the old one, and hook up the new one to the flusher arm inside the toilet tank. This you can get at the hardware store.

If the tank is flooding over, the culprit could be a defective float ball. This is the device that indicates when the tank is full. In this case, the inlet valve mechanism, to which the float ball is attached, must be replaced. A hardware store attendant can usually guide you through this process - it's not as daunting as it sounds.

Leaky roof:

With the advent of April showers, you want to take care of these annoying leaks as soon as possible. The trick is to first find the source of the leak, and it's hardly ever where you think it is, since water will travel to a vulnerable spot. Regardless of the roofing material, it's necessary to go up the ladder on to the roof, and determine the cause. This could be anything from overhanging trees, birds' nests, rat holes, surface cracks or poor joints. Different materials require different solutions.

1. Concrete roofs: Use roofing compound, silicone, or plastic roof cement, according to package instructions. This is usually applied with a brush in several layers.

2. Zinc or aluminium: Roofing compound applied with a brush as above, or flash band (a kind of tar-coated material) cut to fit and applied to a dry surface, pressed down firmly to seal, preferably on a warm day.

3. Shingles: Remove shingles at the leaky spot, put felt paper as a shield, then reposition shingles, if they're not damaged, or replace with new ones.

If you're a bit intimidated at the prospect of doing your own repairs around the house, have no fear, most hardware stores have knowledgeable, competent staff who are willing to help.

The information provided here was sourced from Mike at Rapid True Value, Sovereign Centre, and independent contractor Ms. Jackie Browne, a building construction and maintenance, consultant.