Just because you are home socially distancing doesn’t mean you can’t continue to work on your technical skills. We thought of some ideas to keep you busy and career focused.
With the weather warming up, what a perfect opportunity to get outside and make sure your car is in the best condition possible. Car maintenance is a great way to stay busy at home. Some things you can do for your car include:
- Change your oil and oil filter
- Top off all vehicle fluids
- Test the battery and replace, if necessary
- Change the air filter
- Conduct a proper tire checkup – check tire pressure and thread
- Inspect and replace windshield wipers
- Clean all of your vehicle’s lights and replace bulbs, if necessary
- Wash your car
Practice your electrical skills by doing the following:
- Test your breaker box and inspect the box for any burn marks around breakers or fuses
- Check outside and see if there are any tree branches around the overhead power lines that could harm the wiring around your home
- Check outlets for burn marks
- Inspect outlets and switches – see if they feel too warm to the touch (only touch the plate or switch knob and never the holes in the outlet!)
- Test and repair any wobbly outlets
- Check outlets and ensure they are working with an electrical tester or voltmeter (if you don’t have either, take a lamp around and plug it in to each outlet)
- Test and replace all light bulbs
- Check all appliance and extension cords for signs of wear.
There’s also a great number of d0-it-yourself shows to watch on the DIY Network and HGTV.
With temperatures warming up, it’s important to also do some proper maintenance on your air conditioner, such as:
- Move debris in and around the air conditioning unit
- Clean and straighten the fins
- Clean around the unit
- Ensure your air conditioning unit is level
- Clean the evaporator coil and ensure the evaporator drain is unclogged
- Change out the air filter
It’s important to turn off electricity to the unit prior to performing maintenance. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this yourself, contact a local HVAC technician – they are considered essential workers and are still able to work!
There are also a variety of skills you can practice online. YouTube is a great resource for online education with various videos on techniques for welding, electrical, automotive, etc. Rosedale Tech alumni ScannerDanner and Eric the Car Guy provide great resources for online automotive training. If you are planning to pursue a career as a truck driver, you can begin to practice the CDL driving test online.
Don’t let social distancing get the best of you! Take this time to enjoy your family, continue learning your trade, and get some things done at home.