We’ve all been there. Your clothes washer thumps and you wonder if that’s normal, or your bedroom floor squeaks but you figure that just happens in old houses. “Most homeowners have a spidey sense when they hear something that’s not right,” says Ed Padilla, founder and director of the Association of Certified Handyman Professionals. Some people address such problems promptly while others put them off, but Padilla finds there’s a certain kind of homeowner who’s especially good at resolving issues. “In my experience, women find these things more than men,” he admits. “I’ll frequently get a call from a wife who’s hearing something in the attic, for example, her husband tells her it’s nothing, but when we come out, sure enough, there’s a problem.”

While there are some things you can fix yourself, you should never try to DIY these home improvements.