http://www.diychatroom.com/blogs/ DIY Repair and Home Improvement forum. Helping You to Do It Yourself! en Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:19:44 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.diychatroom.com/images/misc/rss.jpg http://www.diychatroom.com/blogs/ http://www.diychatroom.com/blogs/10-things-do-winterize-your-house-106/ Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:08:27 GMT In Friday’s blog (11/13) I started talking about winterizing your home by inspecting and cleaning your hot water tanks. In researching other things that should be done I ran across a great article by Christopher Solomon of MSN Real Estate and have abridged some of his great ideas below and added... In Friday’s blog (11/13) I started talking about winterizing your home by inspecting and cleaning your hot water tanks. In researching other things that should be done I ran across a great article by Christopher Solomon of MSN Real Estate and have abridged some of his great ideas below and added some of my own.
To read the entire article along with some great links to other resources go to: http://realestate.msn.com/article.as...entid=13107899

Some of Mr. Solomon’s suggestions may seem foreign to those of us in the south but are well founded in the vast reading area of my audience so I’m citing all of them regardless of climate zone.
1. Clean those gutters
Once the leaves fall, remove them and other debris from your home's gutters -- by hand, by scraper or spatula, and finally by a good hose rinse -- so that winter's rain and melting snow can drain. Clogged drains can form ice dams, in which water backs up, freezes and causes water to seep into the house. As you're hosing out your gutters, look for leaks and misaligned pipes. Also, make sure the downspouts are carrying water away from the house's foundation, where it could cause flooding or other water damage. The rule of thumb is that water should be at least 10 feet away from the house.
2. Block those leaks
One of the best ways to winterize your home is to simply block obvious leaks around your house, both inside and out, experts say. The average American home has leaks that amount to a nine-square-foot hole in the wall. First, find the leaks. On a breezy day, walk around inside holding a lit incense stick (try not to get lost in the 60’s) to the most common drafty areas: recessed lighting, window and door frames, electrical outlets. Use door sweeps to close spaces under exterior doors, and caulk or apply tacky rope caulk to those drafty spots, gaskets can easily be installed in electrical outlets that share a home's outer walls, where cold air often enters. Outside, seal leaks with weather-resistant caulk. For brick areas, use masonry sealer, which will better stand up to freezing and thawing.
3. Insulate
Don't clutter your brain with R-values or measuring tape, you should add insulation if you go into the attic and you can see the ceiling joists you know you don't have enough. A ceiling joist is at most 10 or 11 inches so if you should have at least enough insulation to the depth of your joists. A related tip: If you're layering insulation atop other insulation, don't use the kind that has "kraft face" finish (i.e., a paper backing). It acts as a vapor barrier and therefore can cause moisture problems in the insulation.
4. Check the furnace
Turn your furnace on now, to make sure it's even working, before the coldest weather descends. A strong, odd, short-lasting smell is natural when firing up the furnace in the autumn; simply open windows to dissipate it. But if the smell lasts a long time, shut down the furnace and call a professional. It's a good idea to have furnaces cleaned and tuned annually. Costs will often run about $100-$125. Throughout the winter you should change the furnace filters regularly (check them monthly). A dirty filter impedes air flow, reduces efficiency and could even cause a fire in an extreme case. Toss out the dirty fiberglass filters; reusable electrostatic or electronic filters can be washed.
5. Get your ducts in a row
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, a home with central heating can lose up to 60% of its heated air before that air reaches the vents if ductwork is not well-connected and insulated, or if it must travel through unheated spaces. That's a huge amount of wasted money, not to mention a chilly house. Ducts aren't always easy to see, but you can often find them exposed in the attic, the basement and crawlspaces. Repair places where pipes are pinched, which impedes flow of heated air to the house, and fix gaps with a metal-backed tape (duct tape actually doesn't stand up to the job over time). Ducts also should be vacuumed once every few years, to clean out the abundant dust, animal hair and other gunk that can gather in them and cause respiratory problems.
6. Face your windows
Now, of course, is the time to take down the window screens and put up storm windows, which provide an extra layer of protection and warmth for the home. Storm windows are particularly helpful if you have old, single-pane glass windows, these should be replaced but new double pane windows are pricey. Budget to replace them a few at a time, and in the meantime, buy a window insulator kit. Basically, the kit is plastic sheeting that's affixed to a window’s interior with double-stick tape. A hair dryer is then used to shrink-wrap the sheeting onto the window. (It isn’t pretty but it can be removed in the spring)
7. Don't forget the chimney
Ideally, spring is the time to sweep your chimney, but don't put off your chimney needs before using your fireplace, a chimney should at least be inspected before use each year looking damage to the mortar and to the metal damper. Buy a protective cap for your chimney, with a screen to keep out foreign objects (birds, tennis balls) as well as rain that can mix with the ash and eat away at the fireplace's walls. Woodstoves are a different and they should be swept more than once a year. One other reminder: To keep out cold air, fireplace owners should keep their chimney's damper closed when the fireplace isn't in use. For the same reason, woodstove owners should have glass doors on their stoves, and keep them closed when the stove isn't in use.
8. Reverse that fan
By reversing your ceiling fan’s direction from the summer operation, the fan will push warm air downward and force it to recalculate. As you look up, the blades should be turning clockwise.
9. Wrap those pipes
A burst pipe caused by a winter freeze is a nightmare. Prevent it before freezing nights hit. Make certain that the water to your hose bibs is shut off inside your house (via a turnoff valve) or install freeze proof bibs, and that the lines are drained. Drain and stow away your garden hoses. Next, go looking for other pipes that aren't insulated, or that pass through unheated spaces and pipes that run through crawlspaces, basements or garages. Wrap them with pre-molded foam rubber sleeves or fiberglass insulation, available at hardware stores. If you're really worried about a pipe freezing, you can first wrap it with heating tape, which is basically an electrical cord that emits heat.
10. Finally, check those alarms
Now is a great time to check the operation and change the batteries in your smoke detectors. Detectors should be replaced every 10 years. Test them, older ones in particular, with a small bit of actual smoke (although the way I cook, mine get tested constantly), and not just by pressing the "test" button. Check to see that your fire extinguisher is still where it should be, has not expired and still works. Also, as I mentioned in Friday’s blog, the danger of malfunctioning fuel fired heating units and hot water heaters pose a major risk for carbon monoxide poisoning so invest in a carbon-monoxide detector. Every home should have at least one.
These are just a few ideas as to the many things that you can do to get ready for winter, not including what my neighbors have done, which is to close up the house and move to Florida. So if you have some to add to the list click on the “comment” button below and tell us about them or drop me an email. ]]> faucetman886 http://www.diychatroom.com/blogs/10-things-do-winterize-your-house-106/ http://www.diychatroom.com/blogs/getting-ready-winter-lesson-1-hot-water-heater-105/ Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:17:10 GMT Well I don’t know where you are reading this but I’m at my home in Vero Beach, Fl where the only way you can know that its winter is that neighbors you haven’t seen all summer all of a sudden show back up and the neighborhood and streets are full of cars with strange license plates from far away... Well I don’t know where you are reading this but I’m at my home in Vero Beach, Fl where the only way you can know that its winter is that neighbors you haven’t seen all summer all of a sudden show back up and the neighborhood and streets are full of cars with strange license plates from far away and foreign places like Rhode Island, Connecticut , and Canada. There are so many Canadians down here that they have their own banks. I don’t know what the banks do during the summer I guess they just sit there waiting for their customers to return and probably holding their hands out for spare bailout money from our government, but I digress. I got in my car this evening and smelled the telltale smell of heat that hasn’t been on in many months instead of cool air conditioning and my thoughts turned to things we should all be doing to get ready for winter.
As always one of the frequent questions that I answer and have blogged extensively about is the water heater. Colder weather makes it even more important that your water heater is functioning well so an inspection either by yourself or more preferably by a paid professional. There are several common preventive measures you can take with your water heater however, to prevent a failed water heater and a subsequent loss of hot water. The primary being the draining and thorough cleaning at least on an annual basis. If your water heater is making odd noises chances are there is sediment building up in the tank due to corrosion. Draining the tank can sometimes cure the problem. Other times, however, it is a sign that water heater element or the water heater itself has reached the end of its life. Water heaters typically have a short lifespan of 5-10 years. You should also inspect for any leakage. Many times the temperature and pressure relief valve will drain outside or into a plumbed drain so you should always be aware if there is any drainage coming from the T&P valve. If you have a fuel fired heater another thing to check is for a partial blockage of the flue and not allowing proper air flow. This could cause an uneven burn of the fuel which could lead to the dangerous situation of carbon monoxide generation which has taken many lives of families while they slept especially during the winter time when the home is sealed more tightly and the HVAC system may only be working sporadically. Remember adequately burning fuel will glow a blue flame.

Beyond the inspection, if you’ve owned a home long enough, chances are you have experienced the morning where you turn on the shower to find no hot water. Water heaters fail for many reasons and always at the wrong time.
One of the most common gas or fuel fired water heater problems is a pilot light that has gone out and will not relight, or the electrical igniter will not fire. Check to make sure that there is gas or oil in the tank and that the fuel valve to the water heater has not been inadvertently turned off. If you are convinced fuel is getting to the water heater, then you will probably need to call a heating repair service to change out the thermocouple or electrical igniter. Thermocouples and electrical igniters frequently fail if they are old and exposed to dust and dirty oil.
If you have an electric water heater the heating elements frequently burn out due to corrosion that occurs inside the water tank. Usually a heating repair service or plumber can quickly replace the heating coil element or if you are adept at light plumbing and electrical work you may be able to do it yourself but be aware that you are dealing with 220v power and a wet environment and that can be a fatal combination. I know how to change out an element and would still call a pro.
If your hot water is either too hot or cold chances are the water heater’s thermostat has either been inadvertently adjusted, failed, or has been damaged. If appears the thermostat has been inadvertently adjusted, try adjusting it yourself and see if the water warms to your preferred level. If the thermostat setting was not inadvertently adjusted then again it is best to call a heating repair service or plumber to replace it.

There are many other things that require winterizing including wrapping vulnerable water pipes and repairing or replacing deficient weather stripping around windows and doors. I will research some more information and pass it on shortly and would welcome suggestions and helpful ideas that you may have. ]]> faucetman886 http://www.diychatroom.com/blogs/getting-ready-winter-lesson-1-hot-water-heater-105/ http://www.diychatroom.com/blogs/how-install-gfci-receptacle-104/ Mon, 09 Nov 2009 05:45:52 GMT Those of you who regularly read my blithering s know that my best friend for some 42 years is Mike Hennecy, better known to family and friends as ‘Crash and Burn”. Know he did not get this nick name from being a race car driver, although if you ride with him you might certainly think that’s where... Those of you who regularly read my blithering s know that my best friend for some 42 years is Mike Hennecy, better known to family and friends as ‘Crash and Burn”. Know he did not get this nick name from being a race car driver, although if you ride with him you might certainly think that’s where he learned to drive, nor did he come by it from a major number of car crashes. Instead he earned the title by being the most frequent victim of DIY electrical shock accidents and for having been struck by lightning twice, once where the lightning chased him into his garage. With this in mind ,if you have even a close resemblance to his history. just stop reading this now and call and electrician. If instead you have had pretty good luck say changing light bulbs then you may have a reasonable chance of pulling off today’s project…INSTALL A GFCI RECEPTACLE.
Have you ever experienced an electric shock? If you did, the shock probably happened because your hand or some other part of your body contacted a source of electrical current and your body provided a path for the electrical current to go to the ground, so that you received a shock.

A "GFCI" is a ground fault circuit interrupter. A ground fault circuit interrrupter is an inexpensive electrical device that, if installed in household branch circuits, could prevent over two-thirds of the approximately 300 electrocutions still occurring each year in and around the home. Installation of the device could also prevent thousands of burn and electric shock injuries each year. By most codes, today, any electrical receptacle (plug) within and arms reach of a water faucet, sink, tub, shower or that can be found on the outside of your home should be a GFCI. You will recognize it by the usual black and red buttons in the middle labeled “TEST” and or “RESET”. In the home's wiring system, the GFCI constantly monitors electricity flowing in a circuit, to sense any loss of current. If the current flowing through the circuit differs by a small amount from that returning, the GFCI quickly switches off power to that circuit. The GFCI interrupts power faster than a blink of an eye to prevent a lethal dose of electricity. You may receive a painful shock, but you should not be electrocuted or receive a serious shock injury.

Here's how it may work in your house. Suppose a bare wire inside an appliance touches the metal case. The case is then charged with electricity. If you touch the appliance with one hand while the other hand is touching a grounded metal object, like a water faucet, you will receive a shock. If the appliance is plugged into an outlet protected by a GFCI, the power will be shut off before a fatal shock would occur.
If your home is older and you don’t have these GFCI receptacles in the necessary places no need for a panic thay are inexpensive to purchase and simple to install.
Here are the simple steps to change out a regular outlet to a GFCI:
1. Acquire a new GFCI outlet. They are available at any hardware or big box store.
2. When you're ready to install, first shut off power to the outlet.
3. Use a voltage detector to confirm that the power is off. This is where Mike would test it by grabbing the black and white wires with his bare hands…DON’T DO THAT.
4. Remove the old face plate
5. Remove the retaining screws holding the receptacle in the outlet box and pull it out so that you can access the wiring
6. Remove the wires off of the old unit. There should simply be a black (hot), a white (the neutral) and a green (the ground)
7. Now you are ready to install the new GFCI receptacle. Attach the correct wires to the correct locations. Usually the black wire will attach to a brass screw, the white to a silver screw and the green will attach to a blue screw. If you do not find the attachment points to be of this configuration then consult your instructions. I know this goes against all that is in the “Man’s Handbook” but do it just this time. Some newer style receptacles don’t even have screw connections but instead will have quick connect holes that just grab the wires and hold them in place just by you inserting the bare wire into the hole.
8. Once you have the wires connected wrap electrical tape around the receptacle so that it covers all the screw heads on both sides. This will make it easier and safer to deal with in the future if you have to open the receptacle and it holds the wires in place while you are now finished and ready to reinstall the outlet back into the junction box.
9. Insert the receptacle into the outlet box, folding the wires carefully as you insert
10. Tighten the mounting screws
11. Install the mounting plate
12. Turn the power back on, and test the receptacle with a voltage tester.
13. The installation is complete. You are now ready to enjoy new (and safe) GFCI outlet.

All GFCIs should be tested once a month to make sure they are working properly and are protecting you from fatal shock. GFCIs should be tested after installation to make sure they are working properly and protecting the circuit.

To test the receptacle GFCI, first plug a nightlight or lamp into the outlet. The light should be on Then, press the "TEST" button on the GFCI. The GFCI's "RESET" button should pop out, and the light should go out.If the "RESET" button pops out but the light does not go out, the GFCI has been improperly wired. Review your wiring steps one by one and if the GFCI still doesn’t work properly contact an electrician to correct the wiring errors. ]]> faucetman886 http://www.diychatroom.com/blogs/how-install-gfci-receptacle-104/ http://www.diychatroom.com/blogs/another-tale-whats-smell-101/ Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:14:09 GMT Well I would have thought by now that I had covered every possibility when it comes to “Whats’s that smell” but yet the questions keep coming. Frankly I’m happy for the letters and comments along with the chance to be of help. That is why I do this blog. Late last night I received the following... Well I would have thought by now that I had covered every possibility when it comes to “Whats’s that smell” but yet the questions keep coming. Frankly I’m happy for the letters and comments along with the chance to be of help. That is why I do this blog. Late last night I received the following comment from one of my HubNet articles:
“Hi. Interesting reading! I'm trying to figure out why a sewer gas smell would appear at my mom's house, after not smelling it for the 3 previous years she's been there.
She lives on a concrete slab, cluster home about 13 years old. A month or so ago, it started smelling around her washer machine drain and she says sometimes the kitchen sink, but I have not really smelled the sink yet, however the washer/dryer are located in her kitchen, albeit on the opposite side from the sink.
I would think the code just 13 years ago in our metro area would require a P or S trap for a washer drain, but I'm not sure. Today, I ran a piece of wire down the drain to see if I could feel a trap. It showed some resistance the first try about a foot down, so I figured it has a trap of some sort, but trying it again a few times to be sure, it seemed to pretty much go straight down near the floor and stop. Could the trap be that far down?
She uses the washer at least once a week, so don't think it has dried out. I do wonder where and how to check for a sewer vent? I assume on the roof, but what does it look like and how many are there on a typical house? Would a person have to run something down any or all vent pipes and how far?
My mom is elderly and had a stroke 6 months ago, which seems to have made her sense of smell even more keen so I really need to help her. I just don't know if I should start cutting on the drywall to look for the trap or not? I hate to call a plumber just yet and not sure I trust them, sad to say.
I did have the county water co. come out today and check to see if her sewer line was clear. They told her to flush, etc, while they saw the water run into the main line and they said it was clear.
She told me that she has seen dampness around her concrete driveway where there is a crack that follows the sewer line to the street. I guess it's possible that the pvc pipe has cracked someplace, causing that, but not sure it would cause an odor inside, if it were the case. I have not seen that dampness myself, but the crack has been there for a long time.
Any ideas of where to start, I'm all ears, as Ross Perot once said! :)”
Let me start by answering the simple questions first. All cities with building codes require a “P” trap system so it’s not likely that your Mother’s problem is a lack of “P” traps but the traps may be involved. More on that in a minute. Secondly you would generally think that water seeping up through a concrete driveway would be water under pressure, so that could be a broken yard irrigation line or a break in the main water line coming from the water source. I would certainly suggest that you check your Mom’s water bill and see if it has recently increased. This type of leak would become more visible with the ground super saturated as with the recent heavy rains in your area.
So now my guess is that it is a vent problem. Vents become clogged with leaves and debris and sometimes animal nests. Here’s where the traps come into play. With a clogged trapped, every time you flush a large amount od water down the drain, such as a washer the drain is starving for air and actually can suck the water out of your “P” traps to be able to breathe. To explain the general principle of why you need a vent, think about playing with a straw in a glass of water. If you hold your finger over the top of the straw water in the straw will not flow out. Plumbing drain lines are the same. They are a closed system that must have a source for air to allow the water to drain out of the house. If the vent is clogged small amounts of water like a bathroom sink or maybe even a toilet will gurgle or bubble while trying get enough air but a washer has enough power to just suck it’s way to the air that its needs. A simple fix before I would think of breaking sheetrock or concrete is to have the vents augered. The vents are a straight non-capped pipe that stick up out of the roof and she probably has one or 2 depending on the size of her condo and how many fixtures. If you are not adept at climbing on roofs and using a long auger call a plumber. A simple clog can be cleared also with a high pressure garden hose. Even if it weren’t a vent problem you would use a smoke test to check for a broken pipe so don’t even think of breaking into solid surfaces until you know if there is a leak somewhere.

]]> faucetman886 http://www.diychatroom.com/blogs/another-tale-whats-smell-101/ http://www.diychatroom.com/blogs/more-living-green-life-100/ Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:17:28 GMT I have written, several times in the past, about the importance of living the “green life”. We were especially affected in the past few years in the Atlanta area with an extreme water shortage. Not the problem this year as you may have noticed lately the Atlanta area has begun a cycle of too much... I have written, several times in the past, about the importance of living the “green life”. We were especially affected in the past few years in the Atlanta area with an extreme water shortage. Not the problem this year as you may have noticed lately the Atlanta area has begun a cycle of too much water causing floods and massive destruction of homes and businesses in areas where there have never been flood problems before. So the old adage “feast or famine” could easily be restated as either “drought or flood”. Human nature always prevails to result in us being unhappy wither way. The reality is, though, that our world is changing regarding weather, natural resources and economic forces and for years many of us have kept our heads in the sand ignoring the long term possibilities. Well the chickens are coming home to roost and more and more of us as beginning to come to the realization that we must start conserving our resources and living more of a green life. Personally I got my first lesson some 15 years ago when my oldest son decided to leave a high paying job, living the good life, to sell everything and move to a small farm in central Tennessee. His property had an old house on it that I am told (because I wasn’t allowed to actually come see the place for fear of a nervous breakdown) you could see light through the cracks in the walls, he had to use and outhouse, cooked on a wood stove, had no telephone, running water nor electric power because of its remoteness and even yet today has no availability of a TV signal. He gardened and raised much of his own food, worked with a food bank to glean farmer’s fields and to coordinate the U.S. WIC program to distribute milk, cheese and other products to the needy in his county. Today he has a small electrical service to provide refrigeration and to run minimum lighting and a microwave. He has blocked all the holes to make the house airtight tapped a spring and run water to his house. He still uses the outhouse and still cooks on the wood stove. More importantly I have finally conceded that he is happy and doing what he thinks is appropriate for his life and for what little of society that he affects
An article on AOL’s “Walletpop” this past weekend brought to mind things that we can all do more easily than you think to live a greener life without going to the extremes that my son did. According to the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI), there are lots of reasons to go green:
• Lowers energy consumption
• Reduces operating costs in the home by increasing efficiency
• Conserves natural resources
• Increases the value of the home
• Improves indoor air quality and in turn, overall health
• Reduces waste and emissions
• Lowers pollution causing less harm to the environment
• Increases productivity of occupants
• Improves quality of life and raises comfort
• Saves money The same article points out the Top Ten Ways to Implement Green Into Your Home. Green remodeling can be done in small ways and doesn't necessarily have to encompass the entire home. It's easy to pick and choose elements that fit each particular homeowner.
• Use non-toxic paints and sealants
• Install programmable thermostats
• Invest in energy efficient appliances (Energy Star)
• Install natural flooring (bamboo is a prime choice)
• Use local building materials
• Choose natural fiber rugs and materials
• Select recycled material roof shingles and tiles
• Specify energy efficient lighting (compact fluorescents)
• Insulate your hot water lines
• Landscape with native plants None of these things are expensive to implement and can certainly be done in a staged scheduled fashion. No you don’t have to pitch out the stove and start taking cold showers from the spring nor trot out to the outhouse in the middle of the night. No I still stay at the local motel rather than enjoy my son’s hospitality when I go to visit but it makes me no less proud of his achievements and conviction, but the reality is that we all have to start doing our own little sacrifices to start conserving what we have left in our natural resources and to better our taxed economic situations ]]> faucetman886 http://www.diychatroom.com/blogs/more-living-green-life-100/ http://www.diychatroom.com/blogs/what-air-gap-why-do-i-need-my-air-gapped-anyway-99/ Fri, 09 Oct 2009 10:20:55 GMT Well it’s happened. I learned something today that I had never known before. Actually, if the truth be known, I learn something everyday even when I’m not trying. Frankly I had wondered many times what that little silver air vent thingy on my sink was but never had to fix or replace it. I guess I... Well it’s happened. I learned something today that I had never known before. Actually, if the truth be known, I learn something everyday even when I’m not trying. Frankly I had wondered many times what that little silver air vent thingy on my sink was but never had to fix or replace it. I guess I really never understood its function. It’s called an “air gap” and I always thought it was a form of device which allowed you to add vent capacity to an area or appliance where there hadn’t been one or maybe where you had added something new like a dishwasher. The air gap has no moving parts, and they never go bad, ever. It's always what connects to them that causes issues.
So I ran across a forum discussion yesterday that not only gave me the answer but actually put me into sensory overload with WAY TOO MUCH INFO. So I thought I would clear up the confusion for those of you out there that might have been with me in the same boat of ignorance but am going to try to give you the shortest most concise answer but unfortunately there is no short answer. There were 16 different answers in the forum as an example. No wonder I never understood what it was and my head is still spinning.
So let’s start with the simplistic example of why the air gap is needed:
“You now live on the first floor of a high rise. You have just started to clean supper dishes and decide to run some potato peelings down the drain (Remind me to tell you my potato peelings story on a Christmas morning, sometime). You fill your dishwasher and start the cycle and walk away. MEANWHILE, every one of your neighbors are doing the same thing above you. AT THE SAME TIME, there is a water break in the 12 inch water main in front of your building. You do not know that the drain line is backing up into your kitchen sink. You do not know the water supply has dropped in pressure so that the lines are pulling air where they can from the negative pressure.(even hot water supplies with recirculation pumps will do this when water pressure drops to the negative) You do not know that your dishwasher just jammed the pump. The pump being stuck with the solenoid valve now open so the dishwasher is trying to pump water out, but in reality, dirty water from the sink is flowing into the dishwasher. It does this several cycles, until, you guessed it, dirty water is being sucked into the side inlet and into the water supply lines. Thus what sits under that ugly cap is what saves lives, protects that potable water being used inside that dishwasher that sanitizes those dishes when it runs its cycle".
So why would one need an "air-gap" for a dishwasher? Because some dishwashers fill at the bottom, and contaminated water from the dishwasher could, in the scenario above, backflow into the water supply. The reality is that most new dishwashers fill from the side, above the door line. There would be no way for the water from the dishwasher to get up to the fill level it would leak out the door if the water got that high. Why would an extra air gap be required then? Just because of the same kind of crazy improbable situations as above.
A simple definition of the air gap is the space between a wall mounted faucet and the sink rim (this space is the air gap). Water can easily flow from the faucet into the sink, but there is no way that water can flow from the sink into the faucet without modifying the system. This arrangement will prevent any contaminants in the sink from back flowing into the potable water system thus protecting your life and those of your neighbors by keeping contaminated water from being siphoned into the fresh water lines. To further illustrate the air gap, consider what could happen if the air gap were eliminated by attaching a hose to the faucet and lowering the hose into a sink full of contaminated water. Under the right conditions (if the water supply loses pressure and the sink is higher than the point at which the water supply enters the house, for instance), the dirty water in the sink will be siphoned into the water pipes through the hose and faucet. The dirty water then will be dispersed throughout the fresh water system. Because of this, although improbable occurrence, all plumbing codes require backflow prevention and in most cases, especially if the code inspector doesn’t like your plumbers solution, is the little air gap. If you look around your house you may even see one somewhere near your washing machine too.
Still confused? Yep me too, but know that codes are strange things and have been developed over many years of improbable situations. I think of the warning on the Preparation H box “for external use only” because somewhere along the line some poor guy has eaten several of them and got no relief from his hemorrhoids. ]]> faucetman886 http://www.diychatroom.com/blogs/what-air-gap-why-do-i-need-my-air-gapped-anyway-99/ http://www.diychatroom.com/blogs/can-you-save-water-lowering-pressure-98/ Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:31:10 GMT *I have written, in the past, about the dangers of high water pressure in your home but ran across a great blog today on the www.findplumbing.com (http://www.findplumbing.com/) discussion forum. This article defines several terms regarding water pressure and the regulation of it but more... I have written, in the past, about the dangers of high water pressure in your home but ran across a great blog today on the www.findplumbing.com discussion forum. This article defines several terms regarding water pressure and the regulation of it but more importantly, from a new viewpoint, hypothesizes that proper regulation of water pressure in your home can effectively save water. It’s common knowledge that your water pressure shouldn’t exceed 60-65 psi to avoid damage to pipe fittings, valves in your automatic appliances and faucets and that high water pressure is the primary cause of “water hammer”. Now how does reducing water pressure save water resources? Reducing the pressure from 100 lbs. to 50 lbs.will result in a saving of approximately 1/3 because 1/3 less water flows at this lower pressure. Remember, there is more "push" behind the water at 100 lbs. than at 50 lbs. and most of this water is wasted. Moderate savings would result if your supply pressure was 65 lbs. However, even at this lower pressure, savings with a regulator would be 20%.
To more easily control the incoming water pressure many newer homes have pressure regulators built into the system between the meter and the house. What is a Water Pressure Regulator? Also called water pressure reducing valves, are compact, inexpensive regulators that perform two functions, they automatically reduce the high incoming water pressure from the city mains to provide a lower, more functional pressure for distribution in the home.
Water pressure regulators are commonly installed at the meter in residential, commercial and industrial buildings. This location is desirable because it then controls the water pressure flowing to all appliances and outlets within the building and provides an inexpensive means of supplying lower, more functional water pressure to outlets and appliances. Considering that a typical family of four uses an average of 255 gallons of water each day for interior plumbing (broken down by: dishwashing - 15 gallons; cooking/drinking - 12 gallons; utility sink - 5 gallons laundry - 35 gallons; bathing - 80 gallons; bathroom sink - 8 gallons; toilet - 100 gallons). When multiplied by a year, a typical family usage totals 93,000 gallons of water so the savings of 30% obtained by lowering your water pressure can be considerable. This is based on the assumption that you are not currently managing the pressure in your home. An average savings would be from $50 to $150 per year, probably much higher. Based on the fact that 1/3 less water flows at 50 lbs. than 100 lbs., you can expect to save up to 1/3 of the water previously consumed. Remember also, however, that 1/3 of the water used in homes is heated so 1/3 of the 30,000 gallons of water saved divided by 2 to reflect a cold water mixing factor would mean a savings in heating up to 5,000 gallons of hot water per year. If you figure 4 cents to heat a gallon of water, the savings would be $200.00. You can also figure on a savings in your sewer surcharge bill, since most of the 30,000 gallons of water saved will not be going into the wastewater system, therefore, you will not be assessed on that. You would also have to figure the savings, generated by not having to have appliances repaired or replaced more frequently.
The Finding Plumbing blog also listed the following tips that you can employ to save water and energy:
1. Put a stopper in your sink or use a dishpan when you wash dishes. Washing with running water uses 30 gallons per meal.
2. Keep a bottle of drinking water in the refrigerator running the water from the faucet until cold will waste a gallon.
3. Wait until you have a full nine-pound wash before you run your washing machine. The average machine uses 50 gallons per load.
4.Turn the hot water off while you shave, and turn the cold water off while you brush your teeth. Shaving with a running faucet uses about 20 gallons.
5. Take showers instead of baths. The usual bath requires 36 gallons, the usual shower, only 25. Ten gallons is enough for a shower if you turn it off while you lather.
6. Don't use the toilet bowl to dispose of cigarette ashes, facial tissues, and other materials. A normal flush requires 8 gallons. Plus if your on a septic system these items will contribute, long term, to causing septic tank failure.
7. Use dishwasher only when completely full.
8. Fix dripping faucets promptly. Nearly two gallons can be wasted per day of dripping.
9. Running toilets can waste four gallons per hour. Keep them in good repair.
10. THINK before you turn on the tap.

Our water resources are becoming more and more in short supply so anything we can do to conserve not only saves water but saves money. ]]> faucetman886 http://www.diychatroom.com/blogs/can-you-save-water-lowering-pressure-98/ http://www.diychatroom.com/blogs/yet-even-another-smell-problem-97/ Mon, 05 Oct 2009 08:55:55 GMT I do my blogging with the hopes that along the way I am imparting info to folks in need and am really happy when I get comments and emails from readers either having found their solution or with stubborn problems. As I have said before one of the most frequent questions and by far the most... I do my blogging with the hopes that along the way I am imparting info to folks in need and am really happy when I get comments and emails from readers either having found their solution or with stubborn problems. As I have said before one of the most frequent questions and by far the most frequently read of my blogs are the ones on plumbing smells. Recently I received the following inquiry from a desperate homeowner and mother with a very stubborn smell from one of her bathrooms and have included my answers and what we hope will be the final conclusion.

Q: I just found your post about the horrible smell from bathroom...We are having the same problem. Definitely water under tub, changed wax seals, recaulked both tubs, after we take baths the smell intensifies, water came out of seal of toilet once, we did just have a few days of rain.... Plumber did perk test, camera, and pressure tests and said our house is fine. My yard and neighbor's yards are definitely water saturated! I'm begging city to do smoke test, but not having luck. City is saying it's not their problem even though all neighbors surrounding us are having drainage issues as well. Any other suggestions?? We are MISERABLE and our 3 kids are gagging everytime they go to bathroom!!!!!!!!!

A: Im sorry to hear of your problem and agree that a smoke test is probably the only way to resolve the issue at this time. I urge you to continue to pressure your utility or look into the cost to have the smoke test run yourself. It sounds as if there is a drain line broken on your yard or an adjacent neighbors yard and water is pooling under your foundation and the gas is seeping through a crack in your foundation or through poriosity. The smell is not only distasteful but can potential be dangerous if methane gas pools and can be ignited. Please let me know how it turns out

Her Response: Well, We pressed the city for a smoke test and got one done this AM. The test showed the city was ok. Now we hired another plumber who thinks it may be a pipe below bathtub that's broken. He's bringing his camera tomorrow AM. We are so ready to have this problem fixed! We had to move out b/c the smell is just too bad and after considering your comment about the methane. Yikes. Thanks so much for your time. I'll let you know how it turns out.

And then the bad news: Yikes, not good news! Another plumber used a camera in our pipes and found that almost all the cast iron pipes are bad. UGH! Even worms in there. I'm thinking the first plumber just lied to us b/c the pipes were in really bad shape, so maybe he didnt want to tackle that job. Which makes me pretty upset since I sat here spinning my wheels for another week! Oh well, worse things have happened... staying positive!!!!

My response: Sorry to hear that but before they start digging up your foundation and yard look into having the existing pipes relined. Here is a link with some simple info but there are several alternatives to doing it so price it both ways, http://plumbing.about.com/b/2009/02/...rain-lines.htm and a You Tube video explaining the process , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhaf-AWZ99U

The bottom line is there is not always a simple answer to “what is that smell?” For every simple answer we find there can be the tough ones. It can be as simple as a dry “p” trap to totally compromised drain lines or septic system. Whatever it is it is annoying, embarrassing and potential dangerous to your home and health.

IF YOU HAVENT READ ALL OF MY 125+ BLOGS VISIT MY BLOG SITE at httpL//www,nationalbuildersupply.blogspot.com ]]> faucetman886 http://www.diychatroom.com/blogs/yet-even-another-smell-problem-97/ http://www.diychatroom.com/blogs/how-easily-save-10-your-hvac-costs-96/ Fri, 02 Oct 2009 10:01:57 GMT With winter just around the corner and the economy still on the ropes we are all faced with the decision as to whether we have adequate heat or adequate food. In our area the power utilities have made the decision for us by continuing to raise the cost of electricity but there is hope that the... With winter just around the corner and the economy still on the ropes we are all faced with the decision as to whether we have adequate heat or adequate food. In our area the power utilities have made the decision for us by continuing to raise the cost of electricity but there is hope that the heating oil prices will be lower this year than in the past. A simple solution to helping with your HVAC expenses is to install a set back thermostat which is literally a small computer that mounts in place of your traditional thermostat and can be programmed by you to provide heat and cool at peak times and to moderate the use when you are away or asleep. I ran across this great article from the U.S. Department of Energy that provides a good description for those of you that haven’t yet known about these great little devices.
“You can save around 10% a year on your heating and cooling bills by simply turning your thermostat back 10°–15° for eight hours. You can do this automatically without sacrificing comfort by installing an automatic setback or programmable thermostat. Using a programmable thermostat, you can adjust the times you turn on the heating or air-conditioning according to a pre-set schedule. As a result, you don't operate the equipment as much when you are asleep or when the house is not occupied. Programmable thermostats can store and repeat multiple daily settings (six or more temperature settings a day) that you can manually override without affecting the rest of the daily or weekly program. When shopping for a programmable thermostat, be sure to look for the ENERGY STAR® label.
You can easily save energy in the winter by setting the thermostat to 68°F while you're awake and setting it lower while you're asleep or away from home. By turning your thermostat back 10°–15° for 8 hours, you can save about 5%–15% a year on your heating bill—a savings of as much as 1% for each degree if the setback period is eight hours long. The percentage of savings from setback is greater for buildings in milder climates than for those in more severe climates.
In the summer, you can follow the same strategy with central air conditioning, too, by keeping your house warmer than normal when you are away, and lowering the thermostat setting to 78°F (26°C) only when you are at home and need cooling. Although thermostats can be adjusted manually, programmable thermostats will avoid any discomfort by returning temperatures to normal as you wake or return home.
A common misconception associated with thermostats is that a furnace works harder than normal to warm the space back to a comfortable temperature after the thermostat has been set back, resulting in little or no savings. This misconception has been dispelled by years of research and numerous studies. The fuel required to reheat a building to a comfortable temperature is roughly equal to the fuel saved as the building drops to the lower temperature. You save fuel between the time that the temperature stabilizes at the lower level and the next time heat is needed. So, the longer your house remains at the lower temperature, the more energy you save.
Programmable thermostats are generally not recommended for heat pumps. In its cooling mode, a heat pump operates like an air conditioner, so turning up the thermostat (either manually or with a programmable thermostat) will save energy and money. But when a heat pump is in its heating mode, setting back its thermostat can cause the unit to operate inefficiently, thereby canceling out any savings achieved by lowering the temperature setting. Maintaining a moderate setting is the most cost-effective practice. Recently, however, some companies have begun selling specially designed programmable thermostats for heat pumps, which make setting back the thermostat cost effective. These thermostats typically use special algorithms to minimize the use of backup electric resistance heat systems.
Electric resistance systems, such as electric baseboard heating, require thermostats capable of directly controlling 120-volt or 240-volt circuits. Only a few companies manufacture line-voltage programmable thermostats.
For steam heating and radiant floor heating systems, the problem is their slow response time: both types of systems may have a response time of several hours. This leads some people to suggest that setback is inappropriate for these systems. However, some manufacturers now offer thermostats that track the performance of your heating system to determine when to turn it on in order to achieve comfortable temperatures at your programmed time.
Alternately, a normal programmable thermostat can be set to begin its cool down well before you leave or go to bed and return to its regular temperature two or three hours before you wake up or return home. This may require some guesswork at first, but with a little trial and error you can still save energy while maintaining a comfortable home.
Choosing and Programming a Programmable Thermostat
Most programmable thermostats are either digital, electromechanical, or some mixture of the two. Digital thermostats offer the most features in terms of multiple setback settings, overrides, and adjustments for daylight savings time, but may be difficult for some people to program. Electromechanical systems often involve pegs or sliding bars and are relatively simple to program. When programming your thermostat, consider when you normally go to sleep and wake up. If you prefer to sleep at a cooler temperature during the winter, you might want to start the temperature setback a bit ahead of the time you actually go to bed; you probably won't notice the house cooling off as you prepare for bed. Also consider the schedules of everyone in the household; is there a time during the day when the house is unoccupied for four hours or more? If so, it makes sense to adjust the temperature during those periods.
Other Considerations
The location of your thermostat can affect its performance and efficiency. Read the manufacturer's installation instructions to prevent "ghost readings" or unnecessary furnace or air conditioner cycling. Place thermostats away from direct sunlight, drafts, doorways, skylights, and windows. Also make sure your thermostat is conveniently located for programming.”
Installation of one of these thermostats is easily done and needs nothing more than a screwdriver and although I know that it goes against the grain of all of the men reading this..FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS. Then call your teenager to program it for you. ]]> faucetman886 http://www.diychatroom.com/blogs/how-easily-save-10-your-hvac-costs-96/ http://www.diychatroom.com/blogs/grout-sealers-life-misunderstandings-95/ Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:52:26 GMT When it comes to grout sealers they are [maybe] one of the most misunderstood tile products available to consumers today.

Today's grout sealers are very sophisticated chemicals.

Grout sealers are not waterproofing products as some people believe they are. Grout sealers will not waterproof anything.

Grout sealers are not stain-proofers. Grout sealers will not guarantee 100% protection against staining of any kind from every source.

Grout sealers are not color enhancers that will change the color of miscalculated grout and stone fulfilling your every dream.

Grout sealers are not mold preventers.

Grout sealers are merely a front line of defense to thwart off some attacks and to allow one a little time to rectify a spill in a timely fashion.

Grout sealers in a shower will offer a person the opportunity to almost effortlessly maintain a shower before infiltration of unwanted foreign agents [such as soap scum and body tissues] can soil the grout permanently.

Grout sealers are vapor transmissive so as to allow the evaporation of moisture that penetrates them. Let me say that again! Grout sealers are vapor transmissive so as to allow the evaporation of moisture that penetrates them.

Therefore...it stands to reason that grouts that can be darkened from the migration of moisture will in fact allow grouts to become temporarily darkened.

Not to worry..the sealer is doing its job. ]]> Bud Cline http://www.diychatroom.com/blogs/grout-sealers-life-misunderstandings-95/ http://www.diychatroom.com/blogs/how-fix-leaky-faucet-10-easy-steps-94/ Wed, 30 Sep 2009 10:51:09 GMT Problems show up on the discussion forums in groups sort of like mini epidemics. One week it will be slow flushing toilets, then smelly water or smells eminating from areas of your house other than your teenagers bedroom, then it will be septic tank problems. This past week it seems to have been... Problems show up on the discussion forums in groups sort of like mini epidemics. One week it will be slow flushing toilets, then smelly water or smells eminating from areas of your house other than your teenagers bedroom, then it will be septic tank problems. This past week it seems to have been leaky faucets especially outside hose bibs. This latter becomes more important to have fixed with the arrival of winter time freezing well within reach. In researching leaks in general to give you the best answer I ran across the following simple step by step process that details repairing a leak in simple easy to understand terms so I thought I would pass it along. It comes from www.factoidz.com to whom I give complete credit.
“No matter how tightly you turn the faucet, the water continues to drip, You see dollar signs going down the drain, and your neighborhood plumber wants $75 just to walk in the front door. Sure, you could put a pot in the sink and collect these drips, thinking you can use the water on your plants. But you know you won't. You'll just empty the pot down the drain. OR — you could spend maybe a half hour and less than a dollar in parts and repair this wasteful problem on your own. Regardless if you are in the bathroom or kitchen, sink plumbing is basically the same.
You have two water lines coming in, one for each faucet and there is a water shut-off valve in each line allowing for easy repairs.
STEP ONE: Shut the water off to the faucet you wish to repair. A word of advice here is to shut off both valves, turning each clockwise.Though only one faucet may be leaking, the cost involved is so minor, you might as well do some preventive maintenance while you're at it.
STEP TWO: Remove the faucet handles, because under those plastic buttons that say H and C are the screws securing these handles. Try a fingernail and pop those buttons out and a Phillips head screw should be underneath. With the water turned off, remove that screw and pull the handles off. Now what you see is a water valve stem. Do not be intimidated here, you are in charge. Using a pair of Channel locks, or lacking those, a pair of pliers, wrap a piece of rag around the valve stem and remove the stem from the sink by turning each of these counterclockwise. The rag is to prevent you from screwing up the threads on the stems. Now, with the stems out, you have the root of your problem in your hand. Put each stem nearest the hole you removed it from. On the bottom of each valve is a small brass screw and a round, black rubber washer. The washer is your culprit. The washer is what is allowing water to seep through no matter how tightly you turn the faucet. In fact, as time has passed, and you have turned the faucet tighter and tighter, this has had a negative effect on the washer, and compressed it to the problem point. So now,
STEP THREE: is to remove those brass screws and lift out those nasty washers. Put the washers in your pocket.
STEP FOUR: get in your car, or truck, and go to Lowe's, Home Depot or any home improvement store. Show he man in the plumbing section your washers. Follow him to the plumbing parts, watch him open several drawers until he locates the ones that MATCH YOURS. Thank the man (or woman) and go pay for them.
STEP FIVE: Go home. Install the washers, the brass screws and hand tighten the valve stems back into their respective holes. Grab that rag again and cover the threads and tighten the valve stems, clockwise, until they're seated. You don't need a ton of muscle here, just tighten them. STEP SIX: Open both water valves.
STEP SEVEN: Place the faucet handles back on the valve stems and turn the water on. If the handles work differently now, that means you put the wrong valve in the wrong hole. DUH! Turn the water back off before correcting this mental lapse of yours.
STEP EIGHT: Turn the faucets on and off several times. Feel your pride swell? See the water stop when you shut the faucet? Feeling good here? Call the family, show them what you have done!
STEP NINE: Strut through the house, looking for problems you can correct. Slide those pliers in your back pocket. Consider buying a tool pouch soon.
STEP TEN: Go and relax for a while in your easy chair, thinking of ways to spend your new found wealth. Sleep well.”
Sounds just like something I would have written doesn’t it? ]]> faucetman886 http://www.diychatroom.com/blogs/how-fix-leaky-faucet-10-easy-steps-94/ http://www.diychatroom.com/blogs/will-gray-water-system-work-you-93/ Sun, 27 Sep 2009 22:45:47 GMT A couple of times a day people use the bathroom sink to wash up or brush their teeth. Several times a week families do one or more loads of laundry depending on the size of family. Where does all of that used water go? If you have a septic system this water mixes with your black water (from... A couple of times a day people use the bathroom sink to wash up or brush their teeth. Several times a week families do one or more loads of laundry depending on the size of family.
Where does all of that used water go? If you have a septic system this water mixes with your black water (from flushing toilets) and eventually goes into the septic tank and drain fields. Possible ground or drinking water contamination could result. If you live in a municipality it might go into the sanitary sewer system. In many parts of the country fresh water is scarce, especially during the hotter seasons of the year. Lawn watering contributes a great deal to freshwater depletion. Lower reservoirs, wells and rivers result from increased fresh water usage.
There may be a better way. Gray water systems allow homeowners to filter gray water for use in watering gardens, yards and plants. Not disposing of gray water into septic systems keeps the septic tank and drain field from becoming overtaxed with fluids. In cities the sanitary sewer system also benefits from less volume of gray water to treat and process which would decrease the treatment load and expense.
Ignorance of the facts contribute to the reason behind the lack of acceptance in using gray water systems. In the vast majority of septic or sewer systems, the gray water from showers and laundry mix with the black water from the toilets and go into a septic tank or down the public sewer. The mixed grey and black water then goes into the drain field to be dispersed underground.

There are basically two types of gray water systems, gravity fed manual systems and package systems. The manual systems do not require electricity or pumps because they work on gravity taking the gray water to the area needed. They may require a larger yard area to install the system outside. Packaged systems require electricity but are self-contained and can be installed indoors. With each option codes and local ordinances must be considered.
Manual gravity fed gray water systems can vary greatly in their design. Some use various means of filtering. Others dispose of the gray water while some store gray water for watering plants, lawns and gardens. Local codes may restrict or dictate the type of system you install. Here’s a great book on manual gray water systems available from Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0964343304?...XZG0TQRKGD87T&

Packaged gray water systems are difficult to find in the USA. In fact very few are manufactured in the USA. Most are made by companies in drought prone areas like Australia. One issue with gray water systems is code approvals in the US. As I mentioned earlier many local and state health officials do not understand gray water reuses. Some systems available in the US contain a tank to filter and hold the gray water. Installing some of these systems in an existing home can be expensive depending on where the gray water system is located since filtered gray water must be piped separately from black water from the toilet. Most local codes now require a low flow or dual flush toilet. A segregated system would allow using the gray water for the yard and gardens and collect gray water in a plastic storage tank to reuse. Such an arrangement may not meet local codes since the stored gray water can harbor bacteria. Those systems that hold gray water in storage tanks longer that 24 hours require disinfection with chlorine or UV light. Watering a flower garden or yard with chlorinated water could be detrimental to plants. So if you consider installing a gray water system make sure you are aware of the maintenance requires

I prefer a gray water system that filters the gray water and directly discharges the water into the yard. When yard watering is not required the gray water could go into the sanitary sewer or septic system or help replenish a small pond. Such systems exist in Australia and other drought prone areas of the world.

Here is a web site with some state (not all and not necessarily current) regulations http://www.gray water-systems.com/regs.htm ]]> faucetman886 http://www.diychatroom.com/blogs/will-gray-water-system-work-you-93/ http://www.diychatroom.com/blogs/cleaning-grout-haze-ceramic-tile-surfaces-92/ Sat, 26 Sep 2009 20:34:02 GMT Grout haze is what remains after a grout installation is tooled and cleaned. Not all tiles will develop a grout haze. Glazed ceramic tiles are the least likely to develop a challenging grout haze removal problem and can usually be finally cleaned after the grout has dried thoroughly simply by using... Grout haze is what remains after a grout installation is tooled and cleaned. Not all tiles will develop a grout haze. Glazed ceramic tiles are the least likely to develop a challenging grout haze removal problem and can usually be finally cleaned after the grout has dried thoroughly simply by using a bath towel type fabric to polish the tiles.

The more course-surfaced unglazed tiles and stone mimicking tiles are the ones that are likely to develop a haze [that will be to some] challenging to remove. If care is taken during the grout-cleaning stage of the installation, and clean water is used and replenished frequently, you stand a much better chance of less frustrations.

There are many types of grouts on the market today. Depending on which grout is used the haze removal process varies. Typically most of the old fashion style grouts used today contain Portland cement. Portland cement is normally the product that is creating the issue. A mild acid that will attack Portland cement is plain ole white vinegar. Mixed 50/50 with water it can be used to remove some light grout haze stains.

In addition and one step above vinegar is Sulfamic Acid. Sulfamic Acid comes in crystal form and is sold at all home centers and most major chain hardware stores. Mix it with warm water following the instructions on the label.

Either of the two above-mentioned acids should have more than enough power to clean any Portland cement grout haze.

Sometimes a scrubbie type pad may be required along with a clean sponge. Wet the scrubbie and rub the floor in a circular fashion. Then wet the sponge and draw it across the floor ONE TIME and one time only. Turn the sponge over to the clean side and draw it across the next path ONE TIME and one time only. Then rinse the sponge and repeat the process. To swish and swirl in random fashion with the sponge accomplishes little and will not clean the haze productively. Keep the sponge rinsed and use one side to make only one swipe.

With stone-type finished tiles it may be necessary to also use a tooth brush to get into some of the nooks and crannies of the tiles surface.

In all cases the use of safety equipment is required. You should use rubber gloves and safety glasses. In the case of Sulfamic Acid you should read and follow the instructions explicity.:) ]]> Bud Cline http://www.diychatroom.com/blogs/cleaning-grout-haze-ceramic-tile-surfaces-92/ http://www.diychatroom.com/blogs/5-common-hot-water-heater-problems-91/ Wed, 23 Sep 2009 09:33:13 GMT I wrote a blog a few days ago about a problem a family was having with their hot water heater. They would quickly use up a 50 gal tank of hot water then the reset button would go off. I conjectured, at the time, that they had a lower heating element out or if the reset button wasn’t tripping then... I wrote a blog a few days ago about a problem a family was having with their hot water heater. They would quickly use up a 50 gal tank of hot water then the reset button would go off. I conjectured, at the time, that they had a lower heating element out or if the reset button wasn’t tripping then their problem was that their HWH was just too small for their household. After now having received several comments and direct emails requesting further information on similar situations I decided it's time to cover the subject a little more in depth. The question is “I only have 5 minutes of hot water and it gets cold, what causes this”? There could be several reasons for this type of problem. First eliminate the ones that have nothing to do with the water heater. Are any of your hot water faucets leaking or dripping? How long has it been since you last ran the dishwasher or the washing machine? These things are obvious and can easily use up a hot water supply in most households. In the absence of those solutions there are 5 other things that come to mind and I’m sure that there are many more that have escaped me but these are the primary ones I think of:
1. As in my other blog the HWH can just be too small for your family. If running out of hot water is a new problem, unless you have recently gotten a teenager in the family who is taking 1 hour showers, then this is probably not your problem.
2. Your bottom heating element is burned out. If your HWH is electric it has 2 elements, one at the top and one at the bottom. The tank feeds hot water from the top and if the bottom element isn’t working then you are quickly siphoning off all of your hot water and the upper element cannot keep up with the demand. This is an easy fix in most heaters but because your are dealing with 220 power if you don’t know what youre doing call an electrician
3. You have a dip tube problem. The dip tube is simply the supply line which forces cold water into the HWH when the hot water is being used up. The dip tube is a plastic tube inside the water heater (not the tube that is connected to the relief valve) on the cold water inlet side. this tube goes from the top of the water heater to about 8 inches from the bottom of the tank, forcing the cold water to go to the bottom of the tank, pushing the hot water out of the hot outlet of the water heater. If this tube breaks above that 8” line any hot water below that point will not be available it will just be trapped there. And even though the tank is full of hot water, you will just get a small amount of it. Replacement tubes are available at any plumbing supply. The cold water pipe will need to be removed to replace the tube so unless you’re really good at plumbing you might want to call a plumber.
4. Your lower thermostat is bad. This means that the thermostat is not calling for the lower heating element to come on and thus no hot water is being replenished as you use it from the top. Like the heating element, unless you are adept at electrical work call an electrician.
5. Your upper thermostat is bad. Like the lower thermostat, if it’s not working the upper element doesn’t keep the hot water at the top hot so you get cooler water before you get to the hot water at the bottom. Remember the cold water is delivered to the bottom forcing the hot water on the bottom up and out into your supply lines. Just like the lower element these are an easy fix if you’re adept at electrical work, otherwise call a professional.

Many of these problems, especially the elements and thermostats can cause a rapid overheating of you HWH and result in a dangerous pressure situation. That’s why you should NEVER tamper with your temperature and pressure relief valve and always be aware of any leaks or problems with your HWH requiring a reset or blowing circuit breakers. ]]> faucetman886 http://www.diychatroom.com/blogs/5-common-hot-water-heater-problems-91/ http://www.diychatroom.com/blogs/having-trouble-selling-your-home-read-90/ Mon, 21 Sep 2009 10:10:10 GMT A few blogs back I wrote about simple low cost or no cost things you could do to make your home infinitely more saleable. http://nationalbuildersupply.blogspot.com/2009/08/how-do-i-sell-my-home.html My feelings are that with the economy in its current state and the fact that many folks are buried... A few blogs back I wrote about simple low cost or no cost things you could do to make your home infinitely more saleable. http://nationalbuildersupply.blogspot.com/2009/08/how-do-i-sell-my-home.html
My feelings are that with the economy in its current state and the fact that many folks are buried in their homes and can’t afford either on a cash basis or credit wise that to put more money into their house is just not feasible. I am still of that opinion but over the weekend AOL published an interesting article listing top ten things that you might spend money on and the return that you could expect to get when you sell. I am of the opinion that these are things to consider only if you are planning on renovating you home to stay in it for the time being not if you are looking to eminently sell. The following are excerpts from that AOL article as well as a link to the original source from “Remodeling Magazine” both to whom I extend credit and thanks for the use of the material.
“If your house has been sitting on the market since spring, you may be asking yourself what you can do to 'get it sold.' As any fan of HGTV will tell you, you can do one of two things or some combination of the two.
1) See what other homes in your area are selling for, then cut your price to make it competitive.
2) Make reasonably priced improvements to help your home look it's best.
There are plenty of home improvement projects that you could spend $10,0000 or $20,000 on, but it's unlikely you'll get more than 50 percent of that back on your resale price in this market. It may be better to offer a credit to the buyer for that amount, rather than trying to do the work yourself.
The top ten high return on investment Projects For Under $30K were listed as follows:
Project | Return on Investment
1. Deck Addition (wood), 81.8%
2. Siding Replacement (vinyl), 80.7%
3. Minor Kitchen Remodel, 79.5%
4. Window Replacement (wood), 77.7%
5. Window Replacement (vinyl), 77.2%
6. Bathroom Remodel, 74.6%
7. Deck Addition (composite), 73.7%
8. Roofing Replacement, 65.5%
9. Backup Power Generator, 57.2%
10. Home Office Remodel, 54.6%
Source: Remodeling Magazine's Cost vs Value Report
As I detailed in my previous blog imagine want a potential buyer sees as they walk up to your home for the first time. Are the bushes covering half the house? Is the yard full of weeds? When the buyer first enters the house, does the paint and carpets look fresh and clean? You should try to try to create an experience for the buyer that they feel as if they don't have to do anything with the house, except maybe change the wall colors or that they can easily see themselves and their furnishings fitting. It is very important to be well versed in the “comps”(comparables) in your neighborhood. Consider them to be your competition. You have to compete on more than just price but also in features, condition, floor plan and content.
Deck additions ranked highly in the report cited above, outdoor space is desirable for buyers but rather than build a 30 by 20 deck on the back of you house just to sell it? Consider screening in an existing deck or put a roof over it? Then it becomes a three-season space. Sellers may want to address at eyesores before they consider any grandiose additions so take care of the problems as opposed to trying to hide things with expensive renovations. As an example make a good first impression consider a new front door with leaded glass or "sidelights," pressure washing your deck or repairing any peeling paint or damaged siding before you start looking at anything else. As I recommended in blogs before, instead of tearing out your bathroom or kitchen look at replacing the countertops, plumbing fixtures, light fixtures and even some appliances.
In the end, in today’s market, your house has a better chance selling if you follow the simple rules that I laid out in my previous blog and know your competition and price it according.
As a passing note be aware that the Government’s $8000 cash purchasing incentive you only have until November 1st. ]]> faucetman886 http://www.diychatroom.com/blogs/having-trouble-selling-your-home-read-90/