Toilet Flapper Valve Video

Posted on by Tim Carter

Toilet Flapper Valve

While filming a video on roof flashing, Tim receives a cell phone call from Paul. Since the video shooting is already interrupted, Tim assists Paul with his plumbing problem.

Paul's toilet is leaking or running all the time. Until recently, Paul's toilet would fill the tank and everything was fine. Now after filling, the water is running all the time. To examine the problem, Tim asks Paul to take the lid off the toilet tank. Be sure to place the toilet tank lid flat on the floor, do not lean it against the wall. A little nudge and it will slide down, hit the floor and crack in half.

Looking down into the tank on the left side, there should be an arm with a chain attached to it. In the center of the tank, there is a metal tube that comes up above the water line. Off to the left, there is either a mechanism with a ball float or a cylinder type shut-off valve.

Tim wants Paul to reach down into the water to the end of the chain. However, Paul has some concerns about putting his hand in the water tank. Tim assures him that the water in the toilet bowl tank is clean water. There is no problem placing your hand in this water. As a matter of fact, this water can be used for brushing your teeth, washing your face and shaving on those days with the water is turned off in the house. This is the same water that comes out of your faucets.

After some convincing, Paul reaches down into the tank and pulls up on the end of the chain. This raises the toilet flapper valve and allows the water to flow out of the tank. If the chain is released, the flapper valve will fall back down and stop the water flow.

The flapper valve can be getting hung up on something so it does not fall back into place or it is worn out. In either case, the water will continue to flow out of the toilet. If the flapper does fall back into place, then it is probably worn out. Head off to the store and purchase a replacement flapper valve. Be sure to get a replacement that has the flapper valve and the seat. The package will also include a putty ring so you can seal the seat. Many of these replacements have a timer cup on the flapper valve. This holds the flap open long enough to get a good flush.

To install the replacement valve, shut off the water source to the toilet. Usually located just underneath the toilet. Then flush the toilet to remove the water from the tank. Sponge out the remaining water from the tank. Install the replacement flapper valve by following the directions on the package. In most cases, this will stop the running toilet problem.

This is an easy, do-it-yourself repair. No plumber needed this time.

Utility Truck Beds Video

Posted on by Tim Carter

Many years ago, Tim decided to use a special truck bed for his work truck. Regular pick up trucks just did not do the job. Utility truck beds allow you to carry lots of tools to your project site. There are secure, waterproof storage compartments on the outside of the truck body.

The inside of the utility truck body will accommodate 4 ft. x 8 ft. sheets of plywood, drywall or OSB. And still has storage areas on the sides.

Utility truck beds come with or without roofs. Roofs allow materials and large tools to remain dry and secure. Traditional pick up truck beds are open to the elements and to those who would steal your tools and/or materials. With a traditional truck bed, you have to remove all your tools when you go to pick up materials. If you do not remove them, the tools will get crushed by the sheets of plywood or drywall.

Utility truck beds have secure tool compartments with adjustable shelves. These can be set up to accommodate your particular needs. Storage boxes that fit across the bed of your pick up are good, but they do not offer the flexibility and access that utility bodies do. Check them out the next time you are in the market for a new work truck.

Gravity Furnaces

Posted on by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: We are looking to buy an older house that has a very unusual furnace. The home inspector calls it a gravity furnace, but I think it looks more like an octopus with these large pipes that protrude out like tentacles from the top of the large, round furnace. There is also some white coarse paper wrapped around the pipes, and a 1-inch thick piece of white cardboard on top of the gravity furnace. Is this a good furnace, or should we negotiate for a new one? Stephanie T., Pittsburgh, PA

DEAR STEPHANIE: Gravity furnaces are a nearly extinct species. They date back to the late 1800's and early 1900's. The large, round furnaces were almost always designed to burn coal, however many came from the factory equipped to burn wood, oil or natural gas. In fact, it was very common to see these furnaces converted from one fuel source to another. The first house my wife and I owned had a coal gravity furnace that had been switched over to natural gas at some point. As best as I could figure, this furnace was originally installed in the early 1920's. It was still working perfectly in 1975 when I turned it on.

This ancient gravity furnace is still in perfect working order. It wastes enormous amounts of energy, but it still heats the home! The large cast-iron door is where coal would be fed into the furnace. PHOTO CREDIT: Tony White

This ancient gravity furnace is still in perfect working order. It wastes enormous amounts of energy, but it still heats the home! The large cast-iron door is where coal would be fed into the furnace. PHOTO CREDIT: Tony White

The furnaces worked by gravity. The most basic ones only had a few moving parts, and those were usually the doors you opened to insert fuel or remove ashes or cinders. As the furnaces got hot, they heated the air around the core of the furnace's combustion chamber. This air floated up through the large pipes into the house. Gravity pulled down the heavier cold air into the base of the furnace. A slow-motion conveyor belt of air constantly flowed through the furnace as long as fuel was burning inside and residual heat remained in the metal parts after the fuel was exhausted.

The heating ducts where the warm air floated up into the rooms were often installed in the wrong locations. My guess is you might find register covers on inside rooms near the central core of the house. Modern forced-air heating/cooling technology has supply ducts and registers located on exterior walls of homes. This placement allows the conditioned air to wash across the wall surface that is either cold in the winter or hot in the summer.

Modern return air ducts should be located in each room on the wall opposite the exterior wall. This allows the conditioned air to be pulled across the room providing even heating or cooling.

The cold air usually entered the furnace through a giant duct often found in the floor or at the bas of a flight of steps that led to the second floor. The gravity furnaces themselves were often located in the basement of a home which helped supply them with cooler air. The basement location also aided the loading of wood or coal through chutes that were at grade level outdoors. Gravity would make it easier to get the fuel down into the storage area near the furnace.

These gravity furnaces were horribly inefficient. I do not have access to actual numbers, but my guess would be that 50 percent or more of the heat generated by the burning fuel went up the chimney. Compare that to today's super-efficient furnaces that often extract 95 percent of the heat from fuel, and you can see why it might be a great idea for you to replace the large gravity beast, even if it still works.

The white wrapping around the pipes is almost certainly asbestos. It was commonly used as an insulator and fireproofing material on gravity furnaces. It is a very dangerous and toxic material. The fibers in the asbestos are known carcinogens. The thick, white cardboard product is probably pure asbestos. It is acting as a shield that keeps the intense heat of the burning fuel inside the furnace. Do not touch or disturb this cardboard or the wrapping around the pipes.

If you decide to purchase this home, I would recommend that you negotiate the removal of the furnace, the proper installation of new ductwork and expert removal of the asbestos by a certified asbestos remediation company. Do not underestimate the seriousness of the asbestos issue. Be sure your realtor includes language in your written offer that ensures a certified asbestos removal company will get rid of the toxic material.

That off-white wrap on the top of the furnace and the pipes is asbestos! It used to be applied damp much like the old plaster-of-Paris casts on broken arms and legs. If you see white wrapping like this on your ducts do NOT disturb it. PHOTO CREDIT: Tony White

That off-white wrap on the top of the furnace and the pipes is asbestos! It used to be applied damp much like the old plaster-of-Paris casts on broken arms and legs. If you see white wrapping like this on your ducts do NOT disturb it. PHOTO CREDIT: Tony White

 Keep in mind that just removing the old gravity furnace is not enough. The ductwork within the walls is almost certainly oversized for each room, and it is in the wrong location. If you want your home to be comfortable, you will need to have new ductwork extended to each room and similar return-air ducts installed to get air from each room back to the furnace. The giant return air duct on the first floor needs to be abandoned, and the floor patched if that is where it is located.

Asbestos facts and removal information can be found at the Environmental Protection Agency's Web site: http://www.epa.gov/asbestos/ . I urge you to read all of the information there and become highly educated about this topic.

There are ways to encapsulate the asbestos, and some companies may advise you about this. However since the furnace is so inefficient, the asbestos has to go out with the furnace. You need to make sure little or no asbestos is released into the air or on other surfaces in your home.

Talk to your realtor about making an offer to buy contingent upon getting several estimates for a new furnace, ductwork and the removal of the asbestos. Be sure the language indicates the purchase price will be reduced by an amount that allows you to hire professionals to do all of the work.

I want to give a huge thanks to Tony White for taking these photos. Tony is an appraiser in Cincinnati, OH and owns White Appraisal, Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

Author's Notes:

John Podolinsky, who works for the State of Montana in their DEQ/WUTMB/Asbestos Control Program, was kind enough to contact me after this column ran in the Great Falls Tribune:

"I enjoyed your article in the Great Falls Tribune newspaper on Saturday, September 15, 2007, on gravity furnaces and asbestos!!

It was a pleasure to read such an informative article on both subjects. Fortunately, I do not heat my house with a gravity furnace, but I do deal with asbestos on a daily basis.

In my line of business (asbestos regulatory), I witness much asbestos non-compliance based on ignorance. Your article will hopefully educate!

If you plan to provide additional asbestos information to your audience, especially those who live in Montana, feel free to refer to our website below or me.

Thanks again and keep up the great work,"

John Podolinsky
State of Montana
DEQ/WUTMB/Asbestos Control Program
1520 East 6th Avenue
P.O. Box 200901
Helena, MT 59620-0901
www.deq.mt.gov/Asbestos/index.asp

Column 689

Paint Cedar Shakes

Posted on by Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: My husband and I have a home covered with cedar shakes. We are going to be building a smaller room addition soon, and will match the outside cedar shakes. To save money, I will paint the new cedar shakes. I am dreading this job as I have already painted the existing house, and know what a nightmare it can be to get the paint in between the shakes. How would you tackle this painting job? There have to be some tricks pros use in this situation. Anne R., Long Beach, CA

DEAR ANNE: Oh, I know exactly how you feel. Many years ago, I started a small business with a friend of mine. We painted houses in the summer to pay our way through college. One of the houses we bid on had cedar shakes. It took us forever to paint the house. We ruined lots of brushes trying to dab the paint into all those gaps between the shakes. Drips were a constant headache as excess paint in the gaps would regularly run down the face of the cedar shakes.

A scrap piece of plywood makes an excellent rack to hold painted cedar shakes. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

A scrap piece of plywood makes an excellent rack to hold painted cedar shakes. PHOTO CREDIT: Tim Carter

There are any number of ways to make this job really easy. I can think of two right off the top of my head. You are extremely lucky to have thought about this problem before the shakes are installed. Painting bare cedar shakes that are already installed is very hard, and can lead to other pesky problems down the road.

One of the issues of painting cedar shakes after they are installed is that you don't get paint on critical parts of the shakes that can get wet. The gap between the shakes acts like a miniature funnel in a driving rainstorm. Water can only go down or sideways and often does penetrate under the cedar shakes. When this happens parts of the shakes that are covered with other shakes get wet, really wet.

When the water soaks into the bare cedar wood, it dissolves chemicals in the cedar. This colored water often runs down out of the shakes after the storm is over causing pesky extractive-chemical stains on your beautiful shakes. This moisture can also cause the paint to bubble and flake off at a later date.

Your best bet, at this time, is to paint the cedar shakes before they are installed. There are any number of ways to do this, but you may find that spraying or dipping the shakes is the most productive method.

There are some very good airless paint sprayers that will do this job very quickly. The challenge is creating a spray-paint booth to minimize paint over spray. This can be done inside a garage with a few large-appliance cardboard boxes or draping sheets of plastic to create a small room.

The other method is to take a five-gallon bucket and pour four gallons of the paint you will use into the clean bucket. You then take each shake, holding it at the thin top edge, and dip it completely into the paint to within two inches of the top of the shake. Using a paint brush, you then remove the excess paint from the shake as you are holding it above the bucket.

It is vitally important that the front, back and all edges of each shake get painted no matter if you use the dipping or the spray method. This complete coverage solves the issue of trying to paint the edges once the shakes are installed, and it completely seals each shake against the water penetration.

The biggest challenge in painting the shakes in this fashion is how to get the paint to dry without the shakes touching one another or something else. I have solved this problem with a scrap piece of plywood. Using a circular saw or a table saw, I cut grooves in the plywood that are one-quarter-inch wide by six-feet long. The grooves are separated by one and one-half inches each. I set the plywood up off the ground about three inches on each end.

After a shake is painted, you insert the thin end into the groove. The shake sticks up in the air and can dry rapidly. You can place many shakes in a single piece of plywood. By the time you fill up one piece of plywood, the shakes that were first painted are usually dry to the touch and can be moved to another location where they can be tilted up against a wall.

Never stack the shakes against one another for at least two or three days as the paint needs to totally cure. If you stack them too early, they will stick together.

Often the shakes need two coats of paint. Try to apply both coats of paint within 24 hours for the best results. This ensures the first coat is still clean and tacky. The final coat of paint will bond much better if the first coat is still slightly sticky. Follow the instructions on the paint can, and always paint as soon as you are allowed.

Column 687

Ad Speech

Posted on by Tim Carter

Howdy! Thanks for responding to the email blast from your local AMA organization Board of Directors.  I want to deliver the best talk possible on October 4, 2007. To do that, I need to get to know more about your understanding of Internet video and advertising. Filling out this survey will achieve that goal. Please be painfully honest with your answers.

I also urge you top get a good night's sleep just before the talk. It is my intention to rock your world the morning we will spend together. Come with an open mind and a smile on your face!

Thanks again for filling out the survey. ALL information is private, including your email address. I will not save it, nor will I give it to anyone who might SPAM you.

Tim Carter



Name:
Email Address:
Have you or your company purchased ads that appeared on the Internet? Yes

No

Do you know what Google AdWords are? Yes

No

Do you or your company purchase video advertising for cable or broadcast television? Yes

No

Do you know what contextual advertising is? Yes

No

Tell me the top two things you would love to know about Internet videos, ads placed in or adjacent to Internet videos and Google/YouTube. Be as clear as possible. Type as many words as you like in the box below. You must answer this question.

Pot Filler Faucet Video

Posted on by Tim Carter

Pot Filler Faucet Video

A pot filler faucet is a really cool idea. This faucet is installed over your cook top. The pot filler faucets allow you to fill the pot with water while the pot is on the cook top. You save your back because you do not have to lug a pot full of water across the kitchen.

There are several manufacturers of pot filler faucets. So be sure to read and understand their installation directions. The model being discussed in this video attaches to the water supply line using a threaded brass nipple. A special brass fitting needs to be soldered to the copper supply line in the wall. This fitting provides the threads needed for the nipple.

A retention ring is required for the mounting of the pot filler faucet. This ring screws to the wall. When marking the location of the screw holes, be sure that one of the holes will not be on top of the water pipe. Before installing the retention ring, apply pipe thread sealant on the threads of the pipe nipple. Teflon pipe thread sealant is a good choice.

Install any manufacturer supplied rubber washers behind the retention ring. Once the ring is in place, you can install the faucet. Do not forget to place any decorative escutcheon plates onto the faucet before threading the faucet onto the nipple.

Use a rubber strap wrench to tighten the faucet. Do not use regular pipe wrenches or channel lock pliers as they will mark or scratch the faucet. Use a small level to make sure the pot filler faucet arms are level. There will be a small set screw to tighten the escutcheon plate.

Before using the pot filler faucet for the first time, remove the faucet aerator tip and allow the water to run. This will remove any of the flux or copper shavings that got into the line during installation. Once you have flushed the line, replace the aerator tip and fill that pot. Most pot fillers have two valves.

 

This video was featured in the April 23, 2014 AsktheBuilder Newsletter.

How To Cut Ceramic Tile Video

Posted on by Tim Carter

If you are installing ceramic tile, there is a good chance you will have to cut a hole or notch in the middle of one or more of the tiles. Here is one way to doing it.

Hold the tile in place and mark the area that has to be removed. You can mark the hole a little larger then needed if you have a large decorative plate that will cover the hole. Once the mark has been made on the tile, transfer it to the back side of the ceramic tile. Because the cut-out area has curved lines, a wet-diamond saw will not make the proper cuts.

The proper tool to make the cuts - a hack saw. But the blade is a rod saw blade. The rod saw blade is made from small pieces of carbide glued to a steel rod.

When cutting the tile, be sure the good side is facing down. Place a paper towel or soft rag under the tile to protect the finish. If the hole is in the middle of the piece of tile, you will have to take the hack saw blade off the frame and insert it through the opening, if it already exists, in the tile. Then remount the saw blade while it is through the tile. Check to be sure that the handle of the hack saw is towards the back side of the tile.

Then saw along your mark and cut the notch you have marked. Disassemble the hack saw and remove it from the ceramic tile. Check your cut by putting it in place. It should work just fine.

Kitchen Remodeling Ideas Video

Posted on by Tim Carter

The Carter kitchen was remodeled top to bottom. The restoration took nearly three months. At one point, it was a vacant room. But, it was worth all the time. They love the new kitchen and all it has to offer.

The steps in remodeling the kitchen involved removing all the old cabinets and countertops. To open up the kitchen to the breakfast room, a short bearing wall had to be removed. A new ceiling beam had to be installed to provide support for the wall that was removed.

All the old drywall on the walls and ceiling was removed. It took a week to chip up and remove the old kitchen tile floor. A layer of plywood flooring was also replaced.

The old double oven was replaced with an updated style. The old cook top was on an island in the middle of the kitchen. It has been moved to the side wall and surrounded with cabinets. The new island consists of floor cabinets and a deep-green granite top.

To hide most of the appliances, cabinet fronts are added to the refrigerator, dishwasher, ice maker and freezer drawers.

The custom made cabinets included all sorts of trim pieces to create interesting accent touches at the corners, around the sink and the cook top.

The old tile countertops were replaced with light colored granite tops. The light color made a great contrast to the deep colored island countertop.

Warm hardwood flooring has replaced the ceramic tile flooring. The new hardwood floor will be much easier to maintain.

The dust filled days of remodeling are long forgotten, now that the new kitchen is done. What a difference! But before you start your kitchen remodeling project, go to AsktheBuilder.com for remodeling ideas.

Kitchen Sink Strainer Video

Posted on by Tim Carter

When installing a new kitchen sink, you have to attach the sink to the drain pipe. But first, you have to install the kitchen sink strainer. The strainer consists of several components: the strainer that fills the large hole in the sink, the basket that you use to plug the sink, and a large bowl shaped washer, rubber gasket and tightening nut.

To seal the strainer to the sink, use plumber's putty. Take a golf ball size amount of the putty and knead it and work it into a ring. This ring of putty should be the same size as the opening in the kitchen sink. Wipe the sink, around the hole, to remove all dirt and dust. Press the putty ring into place evenly around the drain opening. Set the strainer into place and apply even pressure. Some of the putty will start to squeeze out around the strainer.

Look underneath the sink and you will see excess putty around the strainer. Carefully remove the excess putty with your fingers. Now, install the large bowl shaped washer onto the bottom of the strainer. Be sure the rubber gasket is between the sink and the bowl shaped washer. Use the tightening nut to tighten the washer and gasket into place. Use channel lock pliers to tighten the nut.

To prevent the strainer from twisting, while tightening the nut, use a pair of needle-nose pliers to hold the strainer. Place the tips of the needle nose pliers into the opening of the strainer. Be sure the logo or manufacturer's name (if visible) is located at the top of the strainer. Looks better.

Have an assistant hold the pliers in the strainer, while you tighten the nut from under the sink. Once finished, hopefully your assistant will help you crawl out from under the sink!

Cutting Cement Board Video

Posted on by Tim Carter

Cement board is used under wood stoves, behind wall tile, under floor tile, etc. The beauty in tile installations is it is 100% waterproof. The backerboard will not deteriorate and it fireproof. And it is easy to cut when you have the right tool.

You can cut cement backer board with a circular saw, with an abrasive or diamond blade. But that is dusty and hard on the saw. It can be cut similar to drywall with a knife. Instead of a razor knife, the preferred tool is a carbide-tipped knife.

To make your cuts, mark the cement board on the smooth side and scribe your cut line. Take the cutting tool and scrape along the line several times. Once the scoring is complete, lift the backer board and apply pressure on the back side behind the scoring. After snapping the cut line, use the cutting tool to cut along the cut several times. This will finish cutting through the cement backer board. It’s just that easy.