DIY Tips 101

[DarkSkies]

As long as we're talking about plumbing-

Water heaters - drain once a year for longer life

[captnemo]

Don't buy cheap duct tape. It's not worth it in the long run. Look for brands that are 10-12mm thick.

[voyager35]

Get rid of slotted screws when putting things back together, unless you are restoring an antique piece of furniture where original screws are needed. Phillips head screws are a beautiful invention.

[plugcrazy]

To prevent wood from cracking when putting in screws be sure to drill a smaller hole first.

[captnemo]

When putting in a new bathtub, let it fill with water before you caulk the sides. This will alleviate gaps.

[blitzhunter]

capt - Getting a new tub this spring thanks for the tip.

[OneMoreCast]

Water Supply Valves

No one ever does this but it takes 10 seconds to do and saves time and money in the long run.

Once a month, turn all your water supplies off and on at the valve (under the cabinets and behind the toilet) It loosens up any sediment in the stems, keeping them workable when you really do need to shut the water off. Every time I replace a toilet or a vanity for a quick bathroom makeover I have to deal with 'frozen' supply valves which havent been checked in years. Changing them is an extra expense which may open up a can of worms. Also, do yourself a favor and get the new 1/4 turn shutoffs to eliminate this problem in the future.

[OneMoreCast]

As long as we're talking about plumbing-

Water heaters - drain once a year for longer life

Absolutely, and the popping you hear coming from them is sediment on the heating fins expanding. The more popping the more you should be planning to replace it.

[DarkSkies]

The colder it gets, the more caulk can save you $$. Whenever I rehab a place or apt, I caulk all the molding transitions to the floor (gap areas), all the window molding areas, and door frame molding areas, all sides including top, with a thin line of caulk. I smooth it out with a cup of hot water to dip my finger in.

This works even better in older places where efficiencies can be gained. It takes some extra time but can save on your heating by making the building "envelope" tighter.

Last night I helped someone who was complaining her radiators weren't hot enough. She was right, I had to change a few vent valves. Also, there was a strong draft of extremely cold air coming from the bottom of the hot water radiator, as there was a gap between the floor and the lip of the radiator housing.

She didn't understand the significance until I told her to put her hand where the draft was coming from. I caulked the areas with cheap painter's caulk. You can also stuff tightly bunched newspaper pages or paper towels in any gap that's too wide, and then carefully caulk over it. Big gaps require insulation pieces.

When done, I noticed a world of difference as I bled the system and more of the heat was reflected into the room.

[rockhopper]

How to fix a dent in hardwood flooring - last week I dropped a hammer on my wood floor. The head of the hammer made a big dent in the living room. I broke up an ice cube and made it a little bigger than the dent. I placed it over the dent and let it melt into the wood. The wood swelled back to original size in about a half hour. I don't know if it works for old dents, maybe they have to be fresh. But I am glad it worked for me.

[DarkSkies]

^ Good tip about fixing small dents in hardwood, rockhopper, thanks.
Have also read somewhere about putting an iron a short distance above the moistened wood and letting the steam and moist heat help to raise it too.

[DarkSkies]

How to free rusted nuts......

I don't like to use WD-40 as it's not the best penetrating agent out there.

I use something called "Fabulous Blaster" available in Pep Boys, HD, or the largest Wal Marts. It has the same petroleum distillates that WD-40 has, but is thicker in viscosity and has surfactant chemicals as well. This combo proves far superior to WD-40 and as a result I now carry a spray can with me whenever I have to do any plumbing repairs.







** Tip - sometimes if you are working on removing worn or rusted nuts and the SAE size is not grabbing, the next logical smaller size won't fit....when that happens, try Metric....will often solve your problem and get the job done.....


If that doesn't work, I break out the B tank torch, heats up to 1000 degrees.

[robmedina]

As long as we're talking about plumbing-

Water heaters - drain once a year for longer life

Does all the females in my house running down the hot water count?

[dogfish]

^^ rob if you have more than one female besides your wife in your house you getter have an 80 gallon water heater at least.

[robmedina]

^^ rob if you have more than one female besides your wife in your house you getter have an 80 gallon water heater at least.

I have 3 females and a 100 gallon but they still run it down. I need a 300 gallon!

[captnemo]

^ Or you need to use one of those water limiters on the shower head. Most people hate that, though.

[captnemo]

Saving yourself thousands of $$ in future damage-
Don't know if this has already been mentioned. When installing a toilet in a 2nd floor bathroom, installing a new water cutoff valve at the wall is only another 15 mins to 1/2 hour of labor. If the valve is old it should be replaced. It will save you thousands in the long run by preventing leak from a faulty valve if you go away on vacation.