November 27th, 2008 — Bathroom, Drain, Fix, Handy Man, Shower
If your showers are starting to feel more like a bath, thanks to the amount of standing water you have in your tub, it’s definitely time to address some clogs. Bathtubs and showers have to deal with a lot of hair on a daily basis and it doesn’t take much for a clog to appear. Even with the best maintenance, chances are you’ll have to fight one or two every year.
There are a lot of different methods for cleaning a clogged drain, and we’ll cover the ones that are most effective. However, since using drain cleaners is not only bad for the environment, but also for your health, we won’t be covering that method. It is possible to end up with drain cleaner coming back up into your shower and the health risks from breathing the fumes are injurious to the health of your whole family. There are plenty of other easy ways to clean a clog that don’t involve harmful chemicals.
Now, before we get started, you’re going to need a few tools. We recommend:
- a screwdriver
- a pair of pliers
- a coat hanger
- a plumber’s snake (for serious leaks - they’re available at most hardware stores)
- some gloves (if you don’t want to get slimy)
First, you’re going to have to remove the top part of your shower drain. Most are screwed in, so gently loosen that screw with the appropriate type of screwdriver. You’re not going to want to crank on this since you can damage your tub. If it won’t budge, try a little WD40 if necessary.
Once this top part is off you should be able to get a better idea of the kind of clog you’re dealing with. Most clogs will be in this part of the drain, so you can simply pick the hair out until the area is cleaned up. If you don’t see much hair or anything else clogging this area, you’re going to have to go a little bit further. Most modern drains have a pattern inside that is made of hard plastic, so you can’t exactly go sticking your hand down there. We don’t recommend prying this part out since you can permanently damage your tub.
Unwrap that coat hanger and try feeding it gently down the drain. Probe around until you feel like you’ve hit the clog. You can try to pull it back up towards you or push it down further until it reaches a larger area of the pipe where it can be flushed away. For serious clogs we really recommend a plumber’s snake since they are easier to use than a coat hanger. Get rid of the clog and then put the drain back together again and you’re set.
If you have frequent clogs there’s an easy little recipe that you can use to make safe drain cleaner. Get some baking soda and put it down the drain. Then, grab some white vinegar and pour it in. The chemical reaction will clean out the pipe and keep it clean for you. You can do this once a month as a preventative. After you use the mixture, run some hot water down the drain to flush away any excess power.
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October 3rd, 2008 — Book Review, Handy Man
If you have ever looked at a sink, a lamp or anything in your house and wondered how does that work this book has your answers. Any homeowner can benefit from learning more about how specific appliances and fixtures work, but there are not many resources that put it all into one easy to read format. The book, How Your House Work has changed all that and we were very excited to get a chance to review this book.
By far, this is the most exhaustive resource we have ever come across on the interior of a house and everything in it. The first chapter covers the plumbing system of a home, discussing everything from your basic drain, toilets and showers. Every imaginable kind of drain is covered, and just about every fixture you could have in your house as well. The illustrations do a great job of making all the instructions very clear and they were very easy to follow.
The second chapter on wiring demystifies your home’s electrical system and explains in easy to understand terms how everything is powered in your home. From light switches to the circuit box, you’ll have a clearer understanding of just what goes on when you flip that switch and how power gets back to the lamp. We found this section absolutely fascinating.
Chapters three and four cover home heating and cooling, and offer rare insight into how everything works together for climate control. The chapter on air quality is also a must read and provides life saving information on how to tell when your home’s air quality may be compromised. Chapter six goes into detail on every home appliance known to man and was worth the cost of the book alone. Whether you consistently have trouble with your appliances or just want to know more about what goes on inside, this is truly the best guide.
Chapter seven and eight get into more structural items in your home, such as doors, windows, framing and foundations. You’ll be learning a ton about how your house holds itself up, how to find problem areas in your foundation and many other valuable tips. While it may not be a book that everyone would sit down and read in one sitting, it is a great reference tool and is perfect for the curious.
We highly recommend How Your House Works not only to homeowners, but also to renters that are interested in keeping their properties well maintained and maybe one day getting into home ownership. It’s easy to feel like an expert after you read this book and you’ll find plenty of ways to impress friends and family with your newly acquired knowledge. From the top notch illustrations to the way everything was presented, this is the absolute best book we have read on the subject. Makes a great housewarming gift, but don’t forget to get a copy for yourself. This is one book that really should be read.
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September 26th, 2008 — Bathroom, Book Review, Toilet, plumbing
Our bathrooms are used every day, and as such, they are usually one of the first places that trouble strikes. Whether you’ve ended up standing ankle deep in water at 3am, or you just want to find some ways to save money on plumbing costs, this is the ideal book to have in your home library. Handling basic tasks of repair for bathrooms is actually pretty easy and this book could help you save hundreds of dollars over time. If you are planning on adding or renovating your bathroom any time soon, this book is vital.
The first section deals with how to plan out your bathroom properly and how to avoid common errors that trip up the best of us. Everything is laid out in a very easy to understand fashion and there are some great illustrations and photographs throughout the entire book that explain the steps further. This section is quite comprehensive and deals not only with fixtures, tubs and sinks, but also proper ventilation. By following the advice in this chapter, you can save yourself the trouble of dealing with mold and mildew as well as other common bathroom problems.
The section on Roughing In Bathrooms is perfect for those that will be tearing out old fixtures and replacing them. You’ll learn exactly how to remove a toilet or even a tub on your own, as well as some great safety tips and more. We got a lot out of this section, particularly when it came to removing showers and prepping the space for a new unit. This can be pretty difficult especially if you have never worked with bathrooms in the past.
Read the chapter on Permits and Regulations if you need nothing else in this section. This chapter alone will save you the expense of being out of code and help you pass a new inspection. Not many people realize that they may need to get a permit to install a new bathroom and they end up paying hefty fines as a result. This advice will get you completely prepared for all that you need to do before you begin the process of remodeling or adding a bathroom to your home.
The last section contains project ideas and tips for remodeling bathrooms. The pictures here are very descriptive and we found that the plans were very easy to put to use. The chapter on floor warming systems was very interesting and covered some great techniques to ensure that you get this job done right. If you have ever had to rip up a floor after installing a floor heating system the wrong way, this chapter more than pays for the book itself.
We can’t say enough nice things about this book, and although it may be a little complicated in spots for the average do it yourselfer, reading some sections more than once usually helps bring everything into focus. We think this is the perfect addition to any DIY home library.
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