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Stop a running toilet
The mysteries of a running toilet can drive you nuts. Whether you hear water running constantly or cycling on and off, we’ll help you decipher the clues so you can stop most leaks. Hardware stores and home centers carry the parts for almost every repair.
One cause of a running toilet is a flapper that doesn't seal. If water from the tank seeps around the flapper and into the bowl, the flapper is probably shot. Test for a leaky flapper as shown inPhoto 1.
To replace the flapper, first shut off the water supply valve under the toilet (or the main supply if the valve leaks!). Flush the toilet to drain out most of the water, and unhook the old flapper. Buy a new flapper of the same type and install it according to the instructions on the package. Hook the flapper chain onto the flush lever arm so there’s a little slack when the flapper is closed.
If the flapper doesn’t leak and the water still runs, inspect the fill tube connected to the overflow pipe (Photo 1).The end should be above the water line. If the end is under water, cut it back.
Next, inspect the fill valve for visible signs of wear and test the float (Photo 2). If the float is improperly adjusted, the tank water level can rise above the overflow pipe and drain into it. Replace the old fill valve if it doesn’t completely shut off or it hampers the float-arm operation (Photo 3).
Install a new “floatcup”-style fill valve as shown inPhotos 4 and 5.Adjust the float according to the package instructions to establish the proper water level. Finish the installation by attaching the flapper chain to the flush lever as described above. Turn on
1 PUSH DOWN on the flapper with a stick when you hear the water running and listen for it to stop. If it stops, you know the flapper isn’t sealing properly. Replace it. Check the fill tube length and cut it back so it's at least 1/2- in. above the water line.
2 FLUSH the toilet and look for a fill valve leak. Lift up on the float arm when the tank is filling to see if the water stops. Bend or adjust the float arm so the tank stops filling when the water level is 1/2- to 1-in. below the top of the overflow pipe. If the fill valve still leaks, replace it (Photo 3).
3 TURN OFF the water supply, flush the toilet, and sponge the remaining water from the tank. Disconnect the water supply line, unscrew the fill valve locknut and lift out the old fill valve.
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4 INSERT the new fill valve into the tank according to the instruction sheet and tighten the locknut a half turn past hand tight. If the fill valve is at its maximum height, but the overflow pipe is still higher than the critical level mark, shorten the overflow pipe with a hacksaw so it’s 1 in. lower than the critical level mark on the fill valve.
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5 ATTACH one end of the new fill tube to the fill valve nipple and the other to the enclosed angle adapter (shorten the tube to avoid kinks, if necessary). Clip the angle adapter onto the overflow pipe.
Fix a wobbly chair
Do you have a chair with wobbly legs that rocks and rolls when you sit on it? Tighten those loose joints quickly and easily with a cyanoacrylate ester (CA) glue such as Wonderlock ’Em (part no. 29051, $9, www.rockler.com, 800-279-4441). This special glue fills gaps and forms a strong bond that’ll tighten the joint. It’s available at home centers and hardware stores.
Standard white and yellow glues rely on tight wood contact for a strong bond. They're not good for filling gaps, which are typical in most loose chair joints. Scrape off as much white or yellow glue as you can with the pointed end of a can opener.
CA glue dries fast. Even when filling a gap, it may only take a few minutes for the glue to dry, so work quickly. If you have to fill multiple or large gaps, wrap the chair joints tightly with an old bike tire, tie-down strap or rope. Otherwise, simply hold the joint tight with downward pressure for about a minute after applying the glue (Photo 1).
CA glue provides a virtually permanent bond in the wood joint, but it will decrease the value of fine antique pieces. Call a professional for proper antique restoration.
1 ATTACH the applicator tip to the bottle, stick it into the loose joint and sparingly fill the joint. Hold the joint tight for about one minute. Clean up any glue spills with nail polish remover.
Replace a broken screendoor handle
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Trade in the broken, shabby push-button handle on your screen door for a shiny new easy-opening lever handle. Replacement handles will fit most aluminum, steel and some wood doors. The handles are available at hardware stores and home centers for under $20. We're using a Georgian brass-finish storm door latch (model No. VGL025-555 from Wright Products, 877-560-6100, www.wright-products.com).
You can swap out the handle in about ten minutes. Typically, two mounting screws hold the old handle together. Remove the screws and discard the old handle (Photo 1). You'll see three vertically spaced mounting holes in the screen door (wood doors may require different hardware). Measure the distance from the edge of the door to the center of one of these holes. This distance is called the backset (Photo 2). Buy a new handle with the same backset, or use the enclosed drilling template to relocate the 5/16-in. mounting screwholes. Assemble the outside lever components, insert the center spindle and install the new handle (Photos 2 and 3).
If the old strike plate isn't compatible with the new handle, remove it and install the new one that’s included in the handle kit (Photo 4).
1 UNSCREW both interior latch-mounting screws, pull the interior and exterior handles apart and remove the center spindle. Discard the old handle.
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2 ASSEMBLE the new exterior handle according to the instructions on the packaging, and slide the spindle through the center hole.
3 SLIDE the interior latch over the protruding spindle, and screw together the interior and exterior handles with the two mounting screws.
4 HOLD the new strike plate in place with the door closed (have a helper push it tight from the outside). Mark the center of the mounting slots for maximum adjustability. Drill 3/32-in. pilot holes in the door jamb and screw down the new strike plate. (Use enclosed shims, if necessary.)
Fix chipped porcelain
Disguise chips, dings and scratches in porcelain bathtubs, sinks, toilets and major appliances with a quick and easy touch-up glaze. Glazes are available from home centers, hardware stores and paint suppliers. We used a glaze from Kit Industries (Bone No. AS-7, $15; 800-526-3186;www.porc-a-fix.com). The company matches the original manufacturer's colors nearly perfectly. Apply the glaze as shown in Photos 1 and 2.
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1 CLEAN the damaged area with soap and water, rinse and let dry. Thoroughly mix the touch-up glaze. Dab the glaze onto the damaged area with the enclosed applicator brush, and let it dry for 24 hours. Repeat, if necessary, until the damaged area is filled, letting the glaze completely dry before recoating.
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2 LIGHTLY sand the area smooth with the sandpaper enclosed in the kit, and then buff it with a soft cloth.
Install a refrigerator water filter
Install a refrigerator water filter to remove the bad taste from drinking water and ice cubes. An inline refrigerator water filter ($25 with connection fittings) reduces chlorine, rust, sediment and odors for water- and ice-dispensing refrigerators. Filters are available from home centers and appliance stores. We used GE Appliances model GXITQ, (800-626-2000; www.geappliances.com).
The filter splices into the standard 1/4-in. copper or plastic refrigerator water supply line (Photo 1). Locate the filter as close as possible to the water shutoff valve. Leave at least 6 in. of clearance between the wall and refrigerator when installing the filter behind a refrigerator. Once you install the system, quick-connect fittings make it easy to change the filter.
Turn off the shutoff valve and disconnect the 1/4- in. supply line from the valve (hold a bucket under the valve to catch residual water). Some types of valves leak. You may have to turn off the main water supply valve to your home. Cut back the tubing (Photo 1) and attach the quick-connect fittings (Photo 2). Snap the filter into the fittings.
Secure the tubing on the fridge side with a 1/4-in. copper strap and flush the filter to dispense any fine loose carbon particles (Photo 3). If a leak occurs, tighten the nuts or fittings. Strap the filter to any nearby support to take stress off the tubing. Write the installation date on the filter and replace it every six months with a new one ($20).
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1 TURN off the shutoff valve, and disconnect the supply line. Mark the filter width on the supply line and cut it out. Tighten the pipe cutter in small increments to avoid pinching the soft copper tube. Deburr the cut end with sandpaper or a file (cut plastic tubing with a utility knife).
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2 SLIP the brass nut and ferrule onto the tubing. (If you have a plastic water line, insert the brass reinforcers into the tube ends). Thread the brass nut onto the fitting until finger tight, and twist it one full turn with two wrenches (the longer fitting goes on the supply side).
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3 SNAP the filter into the supply side. Make sure the waterflow indicator points toward the fridge. Support the filter and slowly open the water shutoff valve until water sprays out of the unhooked end. Hang a bucket from a screw and flush water through the filter for approximately five minutes (two to three gallons), and then snap it into the other fitting.
Install a programmable thermostat
You can reduce your home's heating and cooling costs by about 15 percent with a programmable thermostat. It automatically keeps the temperature at a comfortable level when you’re home, but switches to an energy-saving level when you’re away or asleep. Programmable thermostats are available from home centers and hardware stores for $25 to $100. The higher-priced models provide more programming options.
Programmable thermostats will work with most gas or oil furnaces, and central air conditioners. However, heat pumps, electric baseboards, and a few other systems require special features. Read the package to make sure the programmable thermostat you buy is compatible with your heating and cooling system. If you're unsure, call your local utility or a heating and cooling contractor listed in your Yellow Pages.
Remove the old thermostat as shown inPhoto 1. If your old thermostat contains mercury, you'll see a small glass tube with a shiny silver ball inside. Mercury is toxic. Take this type of thermostat to a hazardous waste disposal site.
There will be anywhere from two to five wires hooked up to the old thermostat. Label the thermostat wiring with marking tabs using the letters on the old screw terminals as reference. If your new thermostat doesn’t come with marking tabs, use masking tape.
Clip a clothespin to the cable so it doesn’t slide down inside the wall cavity, and mount the new wall plate (Photo 2). If the thermostat has back-up batteries, insert them before wiring the new thermostat (Photo 3).
The thermostat may need to be configured to your heating system. It may also come preprogrammed, but to maximize savings, set it up according to your schedule. Consult the instructions that come with the thermostat for system adjustments and programming. You won’t save energy if the thermostat isn't programmed correctly.
1 TURN OFF power to the heating and cooling systems at the main panel. Mark the wires with a tab (or tape) and the letter that represents the terminal and unscrew them. Remove and discard the old thermostat.
2 LEVEL the new mounting plate in position and mark the mounting screw holes. Drill 3/16-in. holes, insert drywall anchors and screw the plate to the wall.
3 SCREW the system wiring to the screw terminals on the new thermostat using the letter labels as reference (strip the wires back if necessary). These letters are standard; hook them up to the same terminals on the new thermostat. Snap the thermostat to the mounting plate.
Patch a water-stained popcorn ceiling
When water leaks onto a drywall ceiling, ugly coffee-colored stains usually appear. Sometimes the ceiling texture will become saturated and start to flake off. Repairing small damaged areas of typical “popcorn” ceiling texture is easy when you use a special texture patch now available in an aerosol spray can ($10 from home centers and hardware stores, or at www.homaxproducts.com; 800-729-9029).
CAUTION: If you have ceiling texture applied before 1978, it may contain asbestos. This mineral can be hazardous if it becomes airborne, so call your local health department to learn safe procedures for removal and disposal.
Once the ceiling is dry, remove any loose or flaking texture (Photo 1). Wear a dust mask and safety glasses to protect yourself from falling debris. Spraying the stain blocker and ceiling texture are downright messy affairs, so tarp off a work area as shown in . Many aerosol paints don’t spray well upside down, but the stain-blocking primer in is designed to spray up (Kilz Upshot is available for $3 at home centers and hardware stores).
Applying the new ceiling texture(Photo 4) is the trickiest part of the whole project. The texture comes out fast and the propellant dissipates quickly. You’ll only get about four seconds of spray per can, so you may want to purchase an extra can and practice on a sheet of cardboard. The texture repair is designed to match the original white ceiling texture color, but you might have to repaint the entire ceiling to completely hide the patch.
1 LAY down a tarp and scrape off all the loose, flaking texture with a putty knife. Hold a scrap of cardboard underneath the damaged area to catch the falling flakes.
2 PIN a plastic tarp around all four sides of the patching area (stay 1 ft. away from the damage), and let the tarp hang at least 4 ft. down.
3 SPRAY stain-blocking primer over the water-damaged area and let it completely dry.
4 SHAKE the can of texture for a couple of minutes, and then screw the nozzle onto the valve stem. Hold the can 9 to 14 in. away from the ceiling. Squeeze the trigger with quick half-second bursts while sweeping the can over the damaged area. Allow the texture to dry for 24 hours before painting.
Art Direction• HOPE FAY
Photography• BILL ZUEHLKE
Consultants• LES ZELL, CHARLIE AVELES, TOM SCHULTZ, AL HILDENBRAND, AND JOHN WILLIAMSON
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