The water tap is leaking, the water heater has gone bust again, the kettle needs a three-pin plug, and the electrician and plumber are on holiday. Kristina Chetcuti comes across an alternative solution to home maintenance.

Plumbing and electricity are taboo subjects for me. My new kettle is still connected to power through its two-pin plug because my palms sweat at the very thought of changing it.

But this week, in under an hour of tutoring, I managed to open up a plug and change the fuse.

I learned the difference between a bayonet bulb and an Edison one (the latter is a screw-on).

Then I proceeded to seamlessly install the plumbing of a water heater.

And all this without causing a national powercut in the process.

So it is possible to roll up your sleeves and do it yourself, and it is not as daunting as it sounds.

Granted, I had two Mcast tutors by my side, guiding me each step of the way, but it is good to know that the basic odd jobs around the house are very do-able.

The 40-hour evening course in Basic Electrical Installation, which will begin in October at Mcast, will turn even the greenest DIY fingers into budding pros.

“A course such as this would just make you very aware of what goes on behind the electrical and plumbing work.

“Even if you don’t do it yourself, at least you’ll have a good idea what your workers are doing,” course lecturer Alfred Mizzi said.

You can also learn how to identify electrical problems. “If say your second circuit breaker (salvavita) trips, you can trace the fault in the system,” he said.

First you identify if the problem is in the power or in the lighting circuit. If it’s the power circuit you can then disconnect all the appliances and one by one identify the culprit appliance.

“You won’t learn how to fix the appliance, but at least there won’t be any need for you to switch off all the power until you get hold of the electrician.”

All “students” are provided with a toolkit. “For example, with simple multi-meter tool, you can check whether there has been a surge in power.

“You can even calculate the value of the fuse to check if it’s the adequate one or not,” he said.

More importantly, you can learn how to be more energy-efficient.

“You can even learn how to calculate all the energy you are using at home and increase or decrease the load on your circuit accordingly.”

In other words, you can be more in control of those electricity bills.

In addition to this there is a DIY Home Maintenance course, which makes one an apt all-rounder at home, because it includes plumbing, woodwork, painting and decorating.

Lecturer Peter Fitzgerald assured me that even those who are not familiar with a spanner can install a toilet. “By the end you’d be able to install a toilet complete with flushing units,” he said.

Leaking water pipes, blocked valves, missing washers and wobbly taps will be a thing of the past.

And the time saved chasing electricians and plumbers can now be used to design and plan your own lighting system at home.

MCAST is receiving online applications for over 260 part-time evening courses beginning in October. For more information go to www.mcast.edu.mt/shortcourses or call 2398 7103.