207 Money Saving Fixes

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Transcript of 207 Money Saving Fixes

Page 1: 207 Money Saving Fixes
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Editodal and Production Team:Steven Charbonneau, Roxie Filipkowski, Jeff Gorton, Peggy McDermott, Rick Muscoplat,Becky Pfluger, Mary Schwender, Eric Smith, Bob Ungar, Bruce Wiebe, Marcia Wright Roepke

Photognphy and lllustrations:Tom Fenenga, Bruce Kieffer, Mike Krivit, Don Mannes, Ramon Moreno, Shawn Nielsen,Doug Oudekerk, Frank Rohrbach ll l, Eugene Thompson, Bill Zuehlke

Cover image byTom Fenenga

Text, photography and illustrations for 207 Money Saving Fixes,Updates & lmprovementsare based on articles previously published in The Family Handyman magazine(2915 Commers Dr.,Suite 700, Eagan, MN 55121, thefamilyhandyman.com). Forinformation on advertising in The Family Handyman magazine, call (212) 850-7226'

207 Money Saving Fixes, Updotes & lmprovements is published by The Reader's DigestAssociation, Inc. @2008 The Reader's Digest Association, Inc., Pleasantville, NY 10570.All rights reserved.This volume may not be reproduced in whole or in part withoutwritten permission from the Publisher. Readert Digest and the Pegasus logo areregistered trademarks of The Reader's Digest Association, Inc.The Family Handyman isa registered trademark of RD Publications, Inc.

T H E F A M I L Y H A N D Y M A NEditor In Chief Ken Collier

Project Editor Brett Martin

Assistant Editor Mary Flanagan

Senior Editors Travis Larson, Gary Wentz

Design Director Sara Koehler

Administrative Manager Alice Garrett

Page layout Teresa Marrone, Bruce Bohnenstingl

Senior Copy Editor Donna Bierbach

Production Manager Judy Rodriguez

Publisher Rick Straface

Vice PresidengConsumer Marketing Cara Schlanger

Vice President, Retail Sales David Algire

T H E R E A D E R ' S D I G E S T A S S O C I A T I O N , I N C .President, Home & Garden and Health &Wellness Alyce C. Alston

Presideng North American Consumer ilarketing Dawn M. Zier

Vice President, North American Consumer Marketing Cara Schlanger

Vice Preddent Retail Sales David Algire

Circulation Director Laurie Levasseur

Published by Home Services Publications, lnc.A subsidiary of The Reader's Digest Association, Inc.

President and Chief Executive fficer Mary G. Eerner

A Note to Our Readers:All do-it-yourself activities involve a degree of risk. Skills, materials, tools and siteconditions vary widely. Although the editors have made every effort to ensureaccuracy, the reader remains responsible for the selection and use of tools, materialsand methods. Always obey local codes and laws, follow manufacturer instructionsand observe safety precautions.

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

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1 Kitchens6 10 simple cabinet repairs

10 Install a new sink and faucet13 Reglue loose laminate14 Convert wood cabinet doors to gtass16 Five-minute Lighting makeover

Ro[[-on stainless steelAdd kitchen rollouts

BathroomsMake over a bathroom for

less than $500Upgrade your bathroom with

new accessoriesTop 9 bathroom upgradesMount-anywhere grab bar anchorsWater-smart bathroomTighten a fl.oppy faucet hand[e0pen shelving for bathroom storageA new look for old tubs and showers

Stop faucet dripsFix a drippy sink sprayerUnclog a kitchen faucet aeratorFix an erratic sink sprayerPrevent kitchen drains from cloggingRepair chipped porcelainCtean a stinky disposerCorrect a crooked fridge drawer

Hang a mirror

Stop a running toitetClean a sluggish toiletHot glue for tile accessoriesRestore free flow to a clogged faucetWorld's cheapest bathroom

expansion project

Shower valve conversion and cover-upMount a towel bar on ceramic ti[eClean a ctogged showerhead

1 7

2425

26

39

4045

228

29

3033

34

353638

46

47

48

49Easy water softener fixesExtend the Life of your water heater

50 Stop washing machine walk50 Clean refrigerator door gaskets

60 Basement wa[[ waterproofersFix naiI pops in drywall.

61 Fix squeaky floors62 Cosmetic fix for carpet

Remove tough stains from vinyl flooringRestore dented carpet

63 Fix toose seams in viny[ ftoors64 Remove candte wax from carpeting

Stiffen a bouncy ftoor

2

3 walls & FloorsMake over a wa[[ for less than $300Transform a room with trim and paint

for less than $400Paint rolting techniquesRepair corner beadFix bad wallpaper seamsUse aluminum for quick wall repairsRegrout bathroom wa[[ tiLe

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4 Windows & DoorsBring tired-looking windows back to life

Easy-to-i nsta[[ wi ndowsi ltsWindow crank replacement

Louvered glass window fixes

Clean tough glass stainsStop door rattle

Adjust a sticking bifold doorTrim a door that binds on carpet

Repair sptit trimFix a loose door handle

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67

6869

70

7172

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7578

79

8083

84

85

Sitence a squeating hingeFix a loose hinge

2 fixes for door latches

Instatl a storm doorFix a sticking sliding door

Free a sticking storm door

Cures for sticking doors

Fix a dented steel door

Replace a torn screen

Adjust a storm doorMask pet claw scratches

8687

Removing radonTesting for leadInstall a peephote in a doorAdd inexpensive door and window alarmsInstatl a smal'l safe

J

92

96100104

105

Fittering out pollenSimpLe-to-insta[[ sca[d protection

Christmas tree safetySecure tippy furniture

89

90

88

Exteriors & DecksInstant curb appeat for under $200Deck repairs

Deck rescue

Strip fLaking deck stain

Quick fix for leaky metal guttersBetter traction on concrete

106 3 garage door fixes

109 Replace damaged vinyt siding

110 Reptace a shingle111 Reptace pLumbing vent ftashing

112 Rid your home of pests

113 Seal up pipe penetrations to keep out pests114 Stop moles from tearing up your yard

Keep raccoons out

Energy-Saving Prod uctsStop throwing cash out the window! 128

Stop window and door drafts

& FixesCut energy bitts with a

program mable thermostatMonitor electric usageStop a draft in 60 secondsInstall a dimmer switchInsulate rim joists and cut heat loss

1 1 6

120

121122125126127

Switch to CFL bulbsWarm up a cold room

Furnace filter reminder

Heat-reducing window fi [m

Replace your weather strip

129

130133

134 10 tips to save $$$ on gas

137 5 things to check before a road trip138 Reptace a broken taitLight and save $95139 Repair and maintain weather stripping

14O Install a new cabin air filter142 Recharge your car's AC and save $501U 5 things to lubricate before winter

Switch to winter wiper blades

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You'[[ get:O Links to great DIY articlesO Lots more hints & tipsO Sneak previews of upcoming issuesO Corrections and ctarificationsO Seasonal reminders and more!

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kitchens6 10 simpte cabinet repairs

10 Instal l a new sink and faucet

13 Reglue loose laminate

14 Convert wood cabinet doorsto glass

rM 1 6 Five-minute lighting makeoverRotl-on stainless steelAdd kitchen rollouts

Stop faucet drips

Fix a drippy sink sprayer

Unctog a kitchenfaucet aerator

Fix an erratic sink sprayer

Prevent kitchen drainsfrom clogging

Repair chipped porcelainC[ean a stinky disposerCorrect a crooked fridge drawer

1 7

24

25

26

5

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doors

Adjusthinges on

! fight.n the door screws and theI mounting screws before you make

any adjustments. Then adjust thedepth screw and side screw.

1 Cnecf the fit of the door after3 each adjustment. With doubtedoors like these, perfect the fit of onedoor first, then atign the other door.

Most newer cabinets have self-closing hinges that hold thedoors shut.Others have magnetic or roller catches.A catchthat no longer keeps a door closed is either broken or outof adjustment. Catches are fastened with two screws, soreplacing a damaged catch is simple and a new one costsless than 51 at home centers. Adjustment is just as simple,but you might have to readjust the catch a couple of timesbefore you get it right. Loosen the screws, move the catch in orout,and tighten the screws.lf the door doesn't close tightly,try again.

tip tryou have adoor that'sslightly warpedand won't lie flatagainst the cabi-net, try adding amagnetic catchat the troublespot.Often themagnet is strongenough to pullthe door in tight.

misaligned doorslf your cabinet doors are out of square and youhave European-style hinges, you can use this fix.Euro hinges are designed for easy adjustment.Don' t let their complex look scare you; al l youhave to do is turn a few screws, and any mistakesyou make are easy to correct . The Euro hingeshown here adjusts in three direct ions. Othersadjust in two directions. Either way, it 's a trial-and-error process: You make adjustments, closethe door to check the fit, then adjust again unti lit's right.

lf the door isn't f lush with the doors next to it,adjust the depth screw. This screw moves the door in or out. moves the door from side to side. In some cases, you have toSome depth screws move the door as you turn them. But wi th loosenthedepthscrewsl ight lytoadjust thesidescrew.most,you have to loosen the screw, nudge the door in or out and lf the door is f lush and parallel with other doors but too highthen tighten the screw. lf your hinges don't have depth screws, or low, use the mounting screws to raise or lower the mountingstartwiththesidescrews. plates. Loosen the screws at both hinges, slide the door up or

lf the door is crooked-not standing parallel to adjacent down and tighten the screws. Some mounting plates adjust bydoors or square with the cabinet-adjust the side screw. This turning a single screw.

T Adjust or replace& bad latches

:t Add bumpers totr banging doorsTired of l istening to cabinet doorsbang shut? Peel-and-st ickd o o r a n d d r a w e rbumpers are a solution.G e t a p a c k o f 2 0 a t ahome center for 52. Makesure the back of the door isc l e a n s o t h e b u m p e r s w i l lstick, then place one at the topcorner and ahother at the bottom.

1 O S I M P L E C A B I N E T R E P A I R S

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Tqrawers

Replace worn-outdrawer slides

lf slides are bent, rollers are broken or rollers won't turn evenafter lubricating, replacement is the best solution. To keep theproject simple, buy new slides that are identical (or almost identi-cal) to the old ones.That way, replacement is an easy matter ofunscrewing the old and screwing on the new. Remove a drawertrack and a cabinet track and take them to the home center withyou. Whether you have pairs of side-mounted slides (as shownhere) or single, center-mount slides, there's a good chance you'l lf ind very similar slides at a home center for 55 to 51 5 per drawer.lf you can't f ind them, check with a cabinet materials supplier (inthe yel low pages under"Cabinets, Equipment and Suppl ies") .

Lubricatesticking drawers

A few minutes of c leaning and lubr icat ing canmake drawer slides glide almost l ike new. Startby removing the drawers so you can inspectthe sl ides. You can remove most drawers bypul l ing them al l the way out, then ei ther l i f t ingor lowering the f ront of the drawer unt i l thewheels come out of the track. Wipe the tracksclean and coat them with a l ight spray lubr i -cant. Also lubricate the rollers and make surethey spin easi ly.

Predrill t/76-in. holes for nails, appty wood glue to the jointand nait it together with 7-t/2-in. finish nails.

Repair a brokendrawer box

Don't put up with a brokencorner joint on a drawer.Fix it before the wholedrawer comes apart .Remove the drawera n d t h e n r e m o v et h e d r a w e r f r o n tf r o m t h e d r a w e rb o x , i f p o s s i b l e .Most f ronts are fas-tened by a couple of ' ;

sc rews ins ide the box .W o o d g l u e w i l l m a k e astrong repair if there's wood-to-wood contact at the joint.l f t h e w o o d a t t h e j o i n t i scoated, use epoxy instead ofwood glue.

I Remove nails, staples orI screws from the loose

joint and scrape away old gluewith a utitity knife.

A K I T c H E N S

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details

,;'.-'if,:{

Glue loose Fill strippedscrew holesknobs

Any handle or knob that comesl o o s e o n c e i s l i k e l y t o

come loose again. Puta p e r m a n e n t s t o p

t o t h i s p r o b l e mwith a tiny drop ofthread adhesive,s u c h a s T h r e a dLok (about 53 athome centers ) .D o n ' t w o r r y ; i f

y o u w a n t t o r e -p l a c e y o u r h a r d -

ware sometime in thefuture, the knobs wil l sti l l

come offwith a screwdriver.

right, step one is to make sureturns but doesn't t ighten, thequick remedy:

Remove the screw and hard-ware . D ip too thp icks in g lue ,jam as many as you can into thehole and break them off. Eitherf la t o r round too thp icks w i l lwork. lmmediately wipe awayg lue dr ips w i th a damp c lo th .You don't have to wait for theglue to dry or dr i l l new screwholes; just go ahead and rein-s ta l l the hardware by dr iv ingscrews right into the toothpicks.

the screws are tight. lf a screwscrew hole is stripped. Here's a

When cabinet doors, catches or drawer slides aren't working

d.% Touch up nickss'ii and scratches

lf you have shal low scratches or nicks, h idethem with a stain-fi l led touch-up marker. Dabon the stain and wipe off the excess with a rag.But beware:scratches can absorb lots of stainand turn darker than the surrounding finish. Sostart with a marker that's l ighter than your cab-inet f inish and then switch to a darker shade ifneeded. For deeper scratches, use a fi l ler pencil,which fi l ls and colors the scratch.lf the cabinetfinish is dingy and has lots of scratches, con-s i d e r a w i p e - o n p r o d u c t l i k e O l d E n g l i s hScratch Coat. These products can darken thefinish slightly, so you have to apply them to allyour cabinets.

*-G ,-,1 , Clgan a; ri=.*r

Guttingyuckyboard

if you love the convenience of a wooden cutting board but don't use it because it'sstained and grungy, try this chef-approved, two-step process. Simply scour theboard with a lemon and a pile of kosher salt, then apply mineral oil. The coarsekosher salt is an excellent abrasive, and the citric acid kil ls bacteria.When the stainsare gone, rinse the board and let it dry. Mineral oil helps prevent the wood fromabsorbing stains.

$.-ryBuyer'sguideAll the cabinet hardware and products in this article are available at home centers andhardware stores. For a larger selection of hinges, catches and drawer slides, check outWoodworker's Hardware at (800) 383-01 30; wwhardware.com.

CUTTING BOARD

{ Scour the cutting board with a lemon andI kosher salt until the board is clean.

1 nppty mineral oi] to the3 board and wipe off theexcess. After a few hours,appty a second coat.

1 o S I M P L E c A B I N E T R E P A I R S 9

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Install a newslnkandfaucet

eady to replace your worn-out sink and faucet? Hereyou'l l learn how to do just that.This stainless steel sinkhas an extra-large bowl to accommodate big pots and

is made of heavy 18-gauge stainless steel with a well-engineeredclamping system. This deluxe sink cost 5600, but top-qual i tysinks with fewer features are available for as little as 5200.

While the sink is out, it 's an easy job to replace the faucet.Thefaucet shown here cost about S150. Similar faucets range from5130to 5300.

Install ing a new sink and faucet is easier than ever thanks tothe simple-to-cut-and-assemble white plastic (PVC) drain parts(Photo 7) and nearly foolproof f lexible water supply tubes (Photo6). Some plumbing experience would be helpful, but even with-out it you can replace your sink and faucet in less than a day usinga few basic tools that you probably already own.You'll need largegroove-joint pliers for the drain fitt ings (Photo 1), a fine-toothsaw to cut the plastic pipe, a set of open-end wrenches or twoadjustable wrenches to loosen and tighten the supply tubes, andhex head nut drivers for the sink clips and the clamp on the dish-washer drain.lf you have a plastic laminate countertop and needto enlarge the hole for the new sink, you'l l also need a j igsaw.

Buy a new sink the same sizeas the oldMeasure your old sink.The standard size is 33 x22 in. and about7 in. deep. lf yours is this size, you'l l have no problem finding anew one to fit the same hole. lf you want to install a sink that'slarger or deeper than your current one, f irst check the cabinetwidth below to make sure it ' l l f i t.Then decide how to enlarge thehole. lf your countertop is stone, t i le, solid surface (Corian, forexample) or metal,you may have to hire a pro to enlarge the hole.lfitt wood or plastic laminate,enlarge the hole yourself with a jigsaw.

Tips for removing the old sinkGetting the old sink out is usually harder than putting the newone in. Old plumbing parts are l ikely to be corroded, and the sinkmay be glued to the counter with caulk or caked-on gunk. Sinksare mounted in several ways, but here are a few general tips forremoving yours:

Place a bucket under the trap to catch wastewater while youloosen the slip-joint nuts.

I O K I T c H E N S

I Remove the trap and other drain parts by loosening theI slip-joint nuts with targe groove-joint ptiers or a pipe

wrench. Disconnect the disposer from the sink by sticking alarge screwdriver or disposer wrench into the ring near thedrain and twisting it counterclockwise. Close the water vatvesand disconnect the tubes leading to the faucet. Hotd the shutoffvalve steady with one wrench while you loosen the supply tubenut with a second wrench. Remove any clips hotding the sink inand Lift the sink out.

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I mount the new faucet to the new sink. Fottow the instruc-6 tions provided with your faucet. Protect your countertopwith cardboard.

Q S.t your new sink in the countertop to check the fit, thenJ trace around it with a pencil. Enlarge the hote if necessary.Remove the sink and apply a bead of mitdew-resistant tub-and-tite caulk just to the inside of the pencil [ine. Set the sink backin the hole and use a nut driver to tighten the clips that hotdthe sink down. Tighten the clips just enough to close the gapbetween the sink and countertop. Don't overtighten. Clean upthe excess caulk with a damp cloth.

Parts and suppliesI Plumber's putty (S2)

I Tub-and-tile caulk (S3)

I Two basket strainer assemblies (only one if you'reinstalling a disposer;S13 each)

You'll need the following t-1/2-in. PVC drain parts:

I One P-trap assembly (5S)

I One end or center outlet waste kit (55)

I Two sinktailpieces (52 each)-only one if you're installinga disposer. lf you have a dishwasher and no disposer, geta special 'dishwasher'tailpiece (53) that has a tube toconnect the dishwasher drain hose.

I One special'disposer"waste arm (S3.50), if you havea disposer.

I Two flexible water supply tubes for kitchen sinks (S4 each).Match the nuts on the ends to the threads on your faucetand shutoff valves. Also measure to determine the rightlength. Buy everything at a home center, hardware store orplumbing supplier.

1 nott ptumber's putty into a 712-in.-diameter rope and placet? it around each drain opening. Press the top half of thebasket strainer assembly down into the plumbe/s putty on oneside. 0n the other, press the disposer drain down into the putty.

I N S T A L L A N E W S I N K A N D F A U C E T I I

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( nssemUle the undersink half of the basket strainerrJ assembty and tighten the large nut with groove-jointptiers. Hotd the basket with your hand to keep it from spinning.Reassemble the disposer drain and tighten the three screws.Clean the excess plumber's putty from around the drain open-ings and polish the sink with a dry cloth.

4 Conne.t the water suppty valves to the new faucet with\f ftexible braided stainless steel sink connectors. Hand-tighten the connections. Then turn them an additional quarterturn with a wrench.

] loosely assemble the new, PVC drain fittings. Hold up

and mark parts needing to becut. Then saw them with a fine-tooth wood saw or hacksaw.Slope the horizontal pipesdown slightly toward the drainin the wall. Hand-tighten atlthe fittings and turn the nutsan additionat quarter turn withlarge groove-joint ptiers.

Tips for install ing the new sinkFollow the steps in Photos 2 - 7 to assemble, install and connectyour new sink and faucet. Some sinks, l ike the stainless steel sinkshown here, require clips tightened from below to hold them inplace (Photo 3). Most cast iron sinks are held in place by their ownweight and a bead of caulk. Fol low the mount ing instruct ionsprovided with your sink.

When you're finished with the installation,turn on the shutoffvalves and check for leaks. Then run water in both bowls andcheck the drains for leaks. Most leaks can be fixed by tighteningthe connection. lf this doesn't work, you'l l have to take the leakyjoint apart and inspect it for missing or misaligned parts.

Remove the disposer (Photo 1). Place paint cans and boardsunder the disposer to support it as it comes loose.

Use a pair of pipe wrenches to separate drain parts that won,tyield to large groove-joint pliers. Don't worry about damagingthe pipes;you'l l be replacing them with new plastic parts anyway.

Add shutoff valves if your hot and cold water supply pipesdon't have them.

Working carefully, slice the caulk around the sink with a uti l i tyknife, then slip a stiff putty knife under the sinkt l ip and gentlypry up to loosen i t . On some old s inks, you must remove themounting clips from under the sink before you lift i t out.

Get help l ift ing out a cast iron sink.

I 2 K I T c H E N S

BASKET

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-

*HHfnateloose

nd caps and o ther laminate edges somet imes comeloose and can get broken off if not reglued, but as longas the particleboard backer is in good condition, the fix

is s imple,Scrape off chunks of debris or dried lumps of glue from the

end cap. lf the countertop is newer, f irst try to iron the end capback on with a medium-hot iron to reactivate the glue. However,in most cases the loose piece wil l need to be reattached withcontact cement.

Sand rough areas with medium-gr i t sandpaper, then applythe contact cement (Photo 1). Open nearby windows to dissipatethe fumes from the glue. After both sides are completely coated,keep them separated with a toothpick (Photo 2) unti l the adhe-sive is tacky. Carefully rejoin the two sides, starting at the back ofthe glued area (Photo 3). Contact cement bonds instantly, and ifthe wrong areas accidentally touch, you'l l have great diff icultypul l ing them apart .

Finally, rub away any dried glue around the edges with yourfinger. lf your end cap has broken, scrape it off and take a piece toa home center to find a matching replacement piece.

Keep the two sides separate until the gtue is dry but stilt alittle tacky-usually in about 20 minutes.

1Spread contact cement on with theable naturat-bristte brush, covering

applicator or a dispos-al[ edges.

3wood

Align and then push the laminate edge back against theparticleboard, applying pressure with a smooth block offor a good bond.

R E G L U E L o o s E L A M T N A T E l 3

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onvertwood cabinetdoors to glass

pair of glass doors can add a designer touch to anykitchen.They can turn an ordinary cabinet into adecorative showcase or simply break up an other-

wise monotonous row of solid doors. This alteration is onlyfor frame-and-panel cabinet doors (see Figure A), where youcan replace the inset wood panels with glass.Converting thetwo doors shown here takes about two hours.

To get started, remove the doors from the cabinets andremove all hardware from the doors. Examine the back sideof each door; you might find a few tiny nails where the panelmeets the frame.lf so, gouge away wood with a utility knifeto expose the nail heads and pull the nails with pliers. Lookcareful ly; just one lef tover nai l wi l l chip your expensiverouter bit.

Cut away the lips using a router and a 112-in. pattern bit(Photo I ). A pattern bit (S 1 2) is simply a straight bit equippedwith a bearing that rolls along a guide. Most home centersand hardware stores don't caruy pattern bits. To find aretai ler , check the yel low pages under "Woodworking"or order one at pricecutter.com (888-288-2487). Be sure

to choose a bit that has the bearing on the top, notat the bottom.

Use any s t ra igh t , smoothmaterial (solid wood, plywoodor MDF) to make two 3-ll2-in.-wide guides. To al low for the

1-in.cutting depth of the pattern bit,p lywood and MDF together to

ick guides. Position the guides 1/2 in. fromedges of the lips and clamp them firmly in place

over the door. Support the outer edges of the guides withstrips of wood that match the thickness of the door to keepthem level (Photo 1). Before you start routing, make sure thedoor itself is clamped firmly in place.

Set the router on the guide and adjust the cutting depthso that the bit just touches the panel. Cut away the lips ontwo sides, then reposition the guides to cut away the othertwo. With the lips removed, lift the panel out of the frame. lfthe panel is stuck, a few light hammer taps will free it.

Figure APanel door profileMost cabinet doors are made tike this one: A raised or flat panelfits into grooves in the rails-and-stile frame. To remove thepanet, just cut away the lips on the back side of the door.

I 4 K I T C H E N S

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Clamp router guides to the back side of the door. Run apattern bit along the guides to cut away the inside lips.

Q s"t the glass into the frame and securer, it with glass ctips placed no more than12 in. apart. Then reinstatl the doors.

Buying glass

Lower the router bit and cut away the shoulders on the back side of anarched upper rait to create a square recess for the glass.

lf your door frame has a rectangular opening, it 's now readyfor glass.lf i t has an arched upper rail, cut a square recess abovethe arch (Photo 2). This al lows you to use a rectangular pieceof glass rather than a curved piece (curved cuts are expensive).T h e n s i m p l y l a y t h e g l a s s i n a n d a n c h o r i t w i t h g l a s s c l i p s( P h o t o 3 ) . C l i p s a r e a v a i l a b l e f r o m t h e g l a s s s u p p l i e r o r a twwhardware .com/ (800-383-0130; i tem No. LAH264;54 fo r20 cl ips).

lf the glass rattles in the frame, add pea-size blobs of hot-meltglue every 12 in.

Most hardware stores carry c learglass (53 per sq. ft.) and will cut it forfree or a small fee. Ask for 3/16-in.-thick "double strength" glass. Order

glass panels 1/8 in.smal ler than therecess in the frame.To find tem-

pered, textured orcolored glass (55 to5 1 5 p e r s q . f t . ) ,c h e c k t h e y e l l o w

pages under"Glass."

C O N V E R T W O O D C A B I N E T D O O R S T O G L A S S I 5

Page 18: 207 Money Saving Fixes

Five-minute l ightingFor a fast, easy way to beautify a room,install Worth Home Products'new pendantlights. Installation is simple: Unscrew therecessed light,adjust the length of the pen-dant light cord, screw the adapter in, slidethe canopy up to the ceiling and you have anew light hanging overhead. A room trans-formation doesn't get any easier than this( i f you can change a l ightbulb, you caninstall these lights). Several styles of thePortfolio recessbd light conversion kit areavailable at Lowe's for S50 each.Worth Home Products, (8661 384-9400.worthhomeproducts.com

makeover

Roll-on stain less steelApply Liquid Stainless Steelto your kitchen appliancesand you'l l have the stainless steel look without havingto buy new (it 's great for giving aging appliances aface-lift!). The water-based latex paint is made withstainless steel and applied with foam brushes and aroller (included with paint purchase). A topcoat givesthe surface a durable satin or gloss finish (your choice).

The paint can be used on stoves, refrigerators, dish-washers and toasters-just clean them, tape off areasyou don't want covered and start painting. you can

apply both coats and the satin or

in:. . gloss topcoat in

The paint cana lso be used onkitchen cabinets,tables and chairs( a f t e r p r i m i n g ) .T h e f r i d g e k i t ,which is enough tocover an average-s i z e r e f r i g e r a t o rw i t h t h e r e q u i r e dtwo coats, costs S40.R e t a i l e r s a r e l i s t e do n l i n e , o r b u y t h eproducts directly fromthe manufacturer.

Thomas'Kitchen ArL(800) 650-s69e.liquidstainlesssteel.com

Roltouts turn wasted spacedeep inside cabinets intoaccessible storage space.

Add kitchen rolloutsR o l l o u t s a r e o n e o fthe easiest and mosts a t i s f y i n g u p g r a d e syou can make to yourk i t c h e n . T h e y b r i n ge v e r y t h i n g t h a t ' stucked out of sight inthe back o f cab ine tsright to your fingertips- y o u a c t u a l l y g a i nusable storage space.

Y o u c a n s h o p f o rmoderately priced yetsturdy rol louts onl ineor at Lowe's and HomeD e p o t . Y o u s i m p l ym o u n t t h e m t o t h ee x i s t i n g s h e l v e s i n

your cabinets with four screws.The b igges t mis take is buy ing the wrong s ize .

When you meaiure the opening in the f ront of thecabinet, be sure to account for the door, hinges and

other obstructions.,,: Costt 540 to 580

per rollout.+ ' Time:15 minutes

per rollout.

This two-level rollout fitsaround the drainpipesunder a sink.

I 6 K I T c H E N S

Page 19: 207 Money Saving Fixes

-

oing your own faucet repair may seem daunting, butonce you learn the basics, modern faucets are prettyeasy to fix.ln fact,the hardest step is usually finding the

right replacement parts. Here you'll learn how to find replacementparts and how to stop spout drips on the three main types of single-lever faucets: rotary ball, cartridge and ceramic disc. You can fix

most single-lever bath faucets using the same procedures.The tools you'll need vary a little depending on the faucet

you're repairing.You'll probably need an Allen wrench to removethe handle. Buy a set of small Allen wrenches (56 to 512), andyou'll be prepared for any faucet. Most repairs also require screw-drivers and large groove-joint pliers.

Follow these basics for al l faucet repairsBefore you start, examine the faucet closely to determinewhere the water is coming from. Leaks around the base of thespout require a different repair than a drip from the end otthe spout.Then turn offthe water supply to the faucet.You'llprobably find shutoff valves under the sink. lf those valvesdon't work or if you don't have any, you'll have to close themain water valve to your entire home. After you turn off thewater, open the faucet in the center position to relieve waterpressure and make sure the water is shut off. Finally, cover thesink drain holes with strainer baskets or rags to avoid losingsmall parts down the drain.

Pay close attention to the order and orientation of partsas you remove them. A digital camera or video camera ishandy for recording each step in case you forget. For easierreassembly, set the parts aside in the order they wereremoved. When all the parts are out, inspect the interior of

the valve for bits of deteriorated gaskets or mineral deposits.Use a cloth or fine nylon abrasive pad to clean the surface.Loosen mineral deposits by soaking them in vinegar. Slowwater flow can be caused by plugged holes in the faucetbody. Use a small screwdriver or penknife to clean them out.Before you replace worn parts and reassemble the faucet,hold a rag over the faucet and open the water shutoff valveslightly to flush out debris that may have been loosened dur-ing the cleaning and inspection.

After the faucet is reassembled, open the faucet to themiddle position and gradually open the shutoffvalves to turnon the water. Leave the faucet open until water flows freelyand all the air is out of the pipes.lf the water f low through thefaucet is slow,the aerator (Figure A, p. 19) may be plugged.Unscrew the aerator and clean it out.

L IGHTING MAKEOVER; ROLL-ON STAINLESS STEEL; ADD K ITCHEN ROLLOUTS; STOP FAUCET DRIPS l7

Page 20: 207 Money Saving Fixes

Rotary ball faucets

t rift the handte and pry off the decora-I tive cover to expose the Atlen screw.

Turn the screw counterclockwise until ifsloose enough to tift the handle up fromthe stem.

Lift off the plastic cam and packing.Lift out the ball and inspect it.

Replace the ball if it's scratched, cracked orvisibty worn.

Unscrew the cap by turning it counter-ctockwise with groove-joint pliers.

fi titt out the two rubber seats andrf

springs with a screwdriver. Make noteof the orientation of the tapered spring andinstal[ the new springs and seats the sameway. Reassembte the faucet.

Water f low and temperature in arotary ball faucet are controlled bya h o l l o w b a l l t h a t r o t a t e s i n asocket (Figure A). Delta and Peer-less are two of the major brands.Your faucet may have a brass orp l a s t i c b a l l . B o t h w o r k w e l l ,although the long-lasting stainlesssteel ball comes with most repairkits. Buy a repair kit that includesthe ball, springs, seats and O-ringsfor the spout , as we l l as a smal lrepa i r too l , fo r about 512 whereplumbing supplies are sold, includ-ing home centers.With this kit,you'llbe prepared for almost any repair.

l f water is leaking out aroundthe base of the handle, you may beable to fix the leak by removing thehandle (Photo 1) and simply tight-en ing the ad jus t ing r ing s l igh t ly(Figure A). Turn i t c lockwise withthe spanner tool included in therepair kit. l f the faucet drips fromthe end of the spout, replace theseats and springs (Photo 4).To stopleaks from the base of the spout,see "Spout Leaks," p. 23.

Reassembly is straightforward.Drop the spr ings in the recessesand press the rubber seats over thetop with your fingertip.Then alignthe groove in the ball with the pinin the socket and drop the ball in.A l ign the lug on the p las t i c camwith the notch in the valve bodyand set it over the ball. Thread onthe cap with the adjusting ring andtighten it with groove-joint pliers.Now you can turn on the water tocheck for leaks. lf water leaks fromaround the ball stem, use the span-ner tool to t ighten the adjust ingr ing unt i l the leak stops. Replacethe handle and you're done.

I 8 K I T c H E N S

Page 21: 207 Money Saving Fixes

Stuck screw on a drippy faucetlf your faucet is dripping but you can't loosen the Allen screw to remove thehandle, follow the fix shown here. Normally you have to remove the handle toget at the worn rubber seats that cause the drip (Figure A,left). First try spray-ing the screw with penetrating oil every day for a week.Then try the screw tosee if i t ' l l come out (see photo). lf this doesn't do it, or if you finally strip thehead of the Allen screw,try dri l l ing out the screw. Use a bit about the same sizeas the screw and work carefully.You'l l ruin the handle and have to replace it,but it 's wellworth it i f you can save the valve.As a final resort, you can actuallyunscrew the cap with the handle sti l lconnected (see Figure A for the parts).This is tricky, because you can't grabthe flat edge of the cap, the part that'sshaped fo r the p l ie rs . Make sure tocushion the jaws well when you gripthe smooth, rounded body of the cap.Use rubber tape, because you can' tsqueeze the cap too hard.Turn the capcounterclockwise to unscrew i t . Theassembly you remove wil l contain thehandle, cap, cam, packing and ball.

The next challenge is to break thebal l f rom i ts stem. (The Al len screwclamps onto the stem.)Try grabbing itwith pliers and twisting.The goal is toseparate the parts so that you can sal-vage and reuse the cap.You'l l sti l l haveto buy a new handle and a repair k i tthat includes a new ball.

l f this doesn't work, the only solu-tion is to replace the entire faucet.

If the Allen screw is stuck, or ifyou strip it so it won't come out,remove the cap with the handlestitt in place. You can't grab theflattened edges with the handle inptace. Instead, cushion the plierjaws and grip the round edge betow.

CAP WITHADJUSTING

{- RING

{_ cAM

I

LUG

1p--PA.K,NG

-II

\ V

STAINLESS- . i - L -

- - STEELBALL- ,-

-'

OO*-s @<-

Figure ABall faucet parts

AERATOR

S T O P F A U C E T D R I P S 1 9

Page 22: 207 Money Saving Fixes

Ca rtridge-style fa u cets

1 tO off the handte cap (gently)I with a knife. Turn the Allen screw

counterclockwise to remove it and tiftoff the handle.

) Unr.r.w the dome assembly under- the handle. Then unscrew the metalhandle adapter and tift it off. Lift offthe ptastic pivot stop.

Q n"toue the retainer nut by turningr, it counterclockwise with largegroove-joint pliers.

A prV out the brass retainer clip with-T

the tip of a screwdriver. Grab theclip with pliers and putl it the rest ofthe way out to avoid losing it.

I toot.n the cartridge by stippingJ the plastic spanner cap (includedwith the new cartridge) over the car-tridge and twisting it back and forth.

Aera| the cartridge stem with ptiers\f and pult it straight up and out.Replace worn parts and reassemble thefaucet in the reverse order.

PHITLIPS

2 0 K T T c H E N S

Page 23: 207 Money Saving Fixes

\p.-rr*+

"Ht'---; - at+Hff ---------------i- U-E

Many faucet brands use a cartridge ofsome type (Figure B).A Moen cartridgeis shown here, but the process is simi-lar for other brands.To stop drips at thespout o r cor rec t p rob lems w i th ho tand cold mixing, remove the cartridgeand either replace the O-rings on thecartridge if they're worn or replace theentire cartridge. Take the cartridge tothe home center or hardware store tof ind a replacement (510to $15).

Photos 1 - 6 show how to removethe cartridge. Replacement cartridgesf o r M o e n f a u c e t s i n c l u d e a p l a s t i cspanner cap that al lows you to twistand loosen the cartr idge to make i teasier to pull out (Photo 5). Don't besurprised if the cartridge seems stuck.It may take considerable force to pull i tout . Real ly stubborn cartr idges mayrequire the use of a special cartridge-p u l l i n g t o o l . M o e n ' s v e r s i o n c o s t sa b o u t 5 1 5 a n d i s a v a i l a b l e a t m o s thome centers.

Reassemble the faucet in the reverseorder. Pull the stem up before insertingthe cartridge. You may have to twistthe cartr idge sl ight ly to l ine i t up forthe brass retainer clip. Use the plasticspanner cap or the tips of needle-nosepliers to rotate the cartridge. Slide thebrass c l ip into the s lots in the valvebody to hold the cartr idge in place.Look for the small notch on top of thes tem and ro ta te the s tem unt i l thenotch faces you (Photo 4). Install ther e m a i n i n g p a r t s a n d r e a t t a c h t h ehandle. The directions that come withthe stem will help orient you .Then testthe faucet.lf the hot and cold water arereversed, s imply remove the handle,dome assembly and hand le adapterand rotate the stem 180 degrees.

TEMPERATURE .lNDlcAToR

------+

scREwl

JHP+?{

DOMEASSEMBLY

Ptvor sroP-----i)

RETAINERNUT

CARTRIDGE

/,4_____>

;i*,r r , /

\RETAINER CLIP

Take the old partsto the store to f indreplacementsYou ' l l o f ten f ind the brand names t a m p e d o n t h e f a u c e t . A n d t h i sinformation wil l help when it comestime to find repair parts. But in mostcases, the safest bet is to take theworn parts to the store with you.

lf you have a Delta or other rotaryball faucet (Figure A, p. 19), you're inluck because you'l l f ind repair kits inm o s t h a r d w a r e s t o r e s a n d h o m ecenters. Cartridges and repair kits forMoen "car t r idge- type" (F igure B)faucets are also readily available. Butif you have another brand or a disc-type faucet, you may have to orderparts, since there are too many varia-tions for most stores to keep in stock.It helps to know the faucet's modelname or number when searching fora replacement cartridge. Otherwise,take the cartr idge with you to thestore so you can match it to a photoin the parts catalog. Plumbing sup-ply stores and the Internet are alsogood sources of repair parts. lf you'rehaving trouble finding parts, call themanufacturer of your faucet for help.

Figure BCartr idge faucet parts

WASHER

SPOUT ---}

S T o P F A U c E T D R I P S 2 I

Page 24: 207 Money Saving Fixes

Ceramic disc faucets

1 tO off the decorative screw coverI with your fingernail or the tip of a

knife. Unscrew the handle screw byturning it counterclockwise with an Allenwrench. Lift off the handte. Unscrew orunclip the cap.

Remove the screws that hold thedisc cartridge to the faucet bodylift out the cartridge.

Ceramic disc valves are another type ofcar t r idge . D iscs ins ide the car t r idgecontrol the water f low.This type of valveis sturdy and reliable and rarely needsfixing.In fact, many manufacturers offera l ifetime guarantee on the cartridge.lfyours is damaged, check with the man-ufacturer to see if itt covered by a War-ranty. Leaks can result from faulty rub-ber seals or a cracked disc inside thecartr idge. Since i t 's d i f f icul t to spot acracked disc,and disc cartridge replace-m e n t s a r e e x p e n s i v e ( 5 2 0 t o S 5 0 ) ,itt best to start by replacing the sealsand reassembl ing the faucet. Then i fthe faucet st i l l leaks, remove the disccar t r idge and take i t to the s to re toorder a replacement.

E a r l y v e r s i o n s o f c e r a m i c d i s cfaucets may be more fragi le and cancrack if subjected to a blast of pressur-ized air . That 's why i t 's important toleave the faucet open as you turn thewater back on.This allows air trapped inthe l ines to escape.When the water runssmoothly, it's safe to turn the faucet off.M a n u f a c t u r e r s h a v e i m p r o v e d t h es t rength o f ceramic d iscs on newerfaucets to withstand air blasts, as well asabrasive debris that may get dislodgedfrom the inside of pipes.

2and

Q Inspe* the cartridge for mineralJ buitdup and carefully ctean it out.Then replace the rubber seals on theunderside.

fl Un out the ptastic disc (on somerll faucets) and reptace the O-rings underit. Inspect the hotes in the faucet bodyand clean them out if they're clogged.

2 2 K T T c H E N S

Page 25: 207 Money Saving Fixes

tc : tTIt\

SCREW ALLENCOVER SCREW

HANDLE-->

cAP ->>

CARTRIDGESCREWSjTT

-R

tffffipcERAMlc Dlsc

"]l}S'CARTRIDGE -> 7 ryes *"-

I

caRrRrDGE lt"___-f,

I tL_ --

PLASTICPLATE *

cAPcLrPs --------------> I

Figure CCeramic disc faucet

Spout leaksLeaks around the base ofthe spoutare caused by worn O-rings locatedunder the spout. Al l that 's usual lyrequired to access these O-rings forreplacement is to wiggle and pul lup on the spout to remove it (Photo

1). Depending on the faucet, you'l lalso have to remove the handle andother parts to access the spout. Bepersistent.The spout may be a l itt les t u b b o r n . S p o u t O - r i n g k i t s a r eavailable for many faucets, or youcan take the old O-rings to the hard-w a r e s t o r e o r p l u m b i n g s u p p l ystore and match them up with new

ones. Remember to pick up a smalltube of plumber's faucet and valvegrease (53) while you're there.

I n P h o t o 1 , y o u c a n s e e t h ediverter valve, which controls waterto the sprayer . The i r appearancevaries considerably among brands,but you' l l usual ly f ind them underthe spout. lf your sprayer isn't work-ing properly,first clean it in vinegaror simply replace it (55 to 522).lf thisdoesn't work, the diverter valve maybe clogged. l f i t doesn' t s imply pul l

out , contact the manufacturer forhelp with cleaning it.

{ R"rou" the handle and car-I tridge. Twist and pult up on the

spout to remove it and expose the0-ring seals.

J stip the tip of a screwdriver& under the 0-rings to stidethem out of the groove. Installthe new O-rings, lubricate themwith ptumbe/s grease and reinstallthe spout.

parts

S T o P F A U C E T D R I P S 2 3

Page 26: 207 Money Saving Fixes

Fix a

:.a. .j:l#.l&-a A*F'"

frl 'ffi you find mysterious puddles under your kitchen sink,

ff i the most l ikely suspects are the water supply l ines,the4':'. *# drain lines or the seal between the sink and the coun-

tertop. But don't forget about the pullout sprayer. Sprayer leakscan fool you because they usually occur only when the faucet isrunning.There are only two fixes: Either replace the spray head orboth the spray head and the hose.

First, check the spray head for leaks.Turn on the faucet andpull out the spray head. Make sure the slide nut is t ightly screwedinto the spray head (see opposite page). Check for leaks, then pushthe trigger and check again.lf water leaks out from under the slidenut, remove the spray head and slide nut.Turn on the faucet andlook for leaks around the crimp sleeve. lf you find leaks aroundthe crimp, you'l l have to replace the hose and the head. lf thecrimp doesn't leak, simply replace the head (Photo 1). A replace-ment costs S7 to S20 at home centers and hardware stores.

lf the spray head doesn't leak, grab a flashlight, turn on thefaucet and check under the sink. Give the hose a quick inspection,then examine the connect ion under the faucet. l f you f ind aleak at the crimp, replace the hose. lf the leak is coming from thestem connection, try to tighten it.You might be able to tighten it

with small pliers, but it's tight quarters under there.The best toolfor this job is a basin wrench (S16 at home centers and hardwarestores). lf tightening doesn't solve the problem, replace the hose(Photo 2).

Hoses usually aren't sold separately, so you'l l get a new sprayhead, too. Some hoses have a female fitt ing that f its over thefaucet stem. Others screw into the faucet stem. Many sprayhead/hose kits include an adapter so the hose can connect tomale or female threads. Also pick up a roll of pipe-thread tape(S2) and wrap the male threads before you connect the newhose. You don't have to turn off the water supply to replace thehose, but make sure no one turns on the faucet while the hose isdisconnected! Once the new hose is installed, turn on the faucetand check for leaks.

Most spray heads and hoses are interchangeable. But somespray heads and hoses connect differently. Home centers andhardware stores usually carry only the standard type shown here.lf you have a different type, call a plumbing supplier (in the yel-low pages under"Plumbing, Fixtures") or go to any online searche n g i n e a n d t y p e i n t h e m a n u f a c t u r e r o f y o u r f a u c e tfollowed by "replacement parts."

J nepUce the spray head and hose by unscrewing the hose4 with a basin wrench (opposite page). Feed the new hosethrough the holder. Wrap male threads with pipe thread tape.Screw the hose to the faucet stem by hand. Then tighten theconnection with the basin wrench.

drl ppyslnksprayer

'*F

I nephce the spray head onty by unscrewing the spray headI from the slide nut. Remove the washer and pry off the

C-ctip with a small screwdriver or pocketknife. To install thenew head, reverse these steps.

24 KTTcHENS

Page 27: 207 Money Saving Fixes

Unclog a ki tchen faucet aeratorlf you get weak water f low when you turn on the faucet, don' t

assume your water pressure has suddenly gone bad.You could sim-ply have a fi l ter screen, or aerator, that's clogged. Remove the aera-

tor as shown in the photo, rinse it out and reinstall i t. l f i t 's corroded

or worn, take it to a home center and pick up a new one ($3 to 55).Most stores have a slick gauge you can screw your old aerator onto

to determine which replacement to buy. lf you can't f ind a replace-

ment for your aerator, soak the parts in vinegar overnight, scrub

them with an old toothbrush and reinsert into the faucet (make

sure to reassemble the parts in the same order you removed them).

Wrap the jaws of pliers with tape to keep them from scratchingthe aerator. Unscrew the aerator body from the faucet and removeatl the internal comDonents. Ctean and reassemble.

WASHER

--**-<- FLow

RESTRICTOR

G==t<-'-/

€fu----=-==-=-qTl:g

*)t-____4=----- SCREEN

€ffib<--,-/

ffi;*- AERAToRIS-' BODY|w /

- t rt - - , -

-F

F igure AAerator partsDirt usuatly collects on themixer and the screen.

wAsHER -f|

c-cue ---+( ;r

"o".\-

F ix an errat ic sink sprayerInside your faucet, there's a "diverter" valve, which stops the water f low to the spout and

sends it to the sprayer when you press the spray head's trigger. Here are the symptoms of

diverter trouble:Very l itt le water, or none at all, comes out of the sprayer when you press the trigger. A

bad sprayer head can cause this, but more often the diverter is the culprit.To check this,

remove the spray head and turn on the faucet. lf the water f low out of the hose is weak,

the diverter is to blame.The sprayer pulsates l ike a machine gun.

Water continues to flow out of the faucet spout when you're using the sprayer.

Often,a misbehaving diverter needs only l ight scrubbing with a toothbrush and a good

rinse. But since removing a diverter usually requires major faucet disassembly, it 's best to

simply replace the diverter rather than risk taking it apart again.Diverter styles and removal procedures differ widely. Some are small valves l ike the one

shown here. Others are larger cylinders that don'tlook l ike valves at all. Some newer diverters aren'tinside the faucet, but are instead connected to thesprayer hose below. So the first step in diverterrepair is f inding a diagram of your faucet. lf you

can ' t f ind your owner 's manua l , do an on l inesearch.Type in the manufacturer of your faucet fol-lowed by " faucet par ts d iagram." Wi th a l i t t lesearching, you'l l f ind an i l lustration showing your

faucet 's internal parts. You' l l a lso f ind severalsources for replacement parts onl ine. To f ind al o c a l s u p p l i e r , c h e c k t h e y e l l o w p a g e s u n d e r"Plumbing, Fixtures." Diverters cost from 57 to 520.

Disassemble the faucet to accessthe diverter. Clean or replace thediverter and reassembte the faucet.

CRIMP

F I X A D R I P P Y S I N K S P R A Y E R ; U N C L O G A K I T C H E N F A U C E T A E R A T O R ; F I X A N E R R A T I C S I N K S P R A Y E R 2 5

Page 28: 207 Money Saving Fixes

Prevent ki tchen drains from cloggingKeep kitchen drains grease-free by pouring in a few spoonfuls of baking sodaevery few weeks.Then f i l l the sink with hot water, remove the plug and let i t

d r a i n f r e e l y t o

f l u s h d e b r i s . T h e

b e s t w a y t o p r e -

v e n t c l o g s i s t o

l i m i t t h e a m o u n t

o f g r e a s e a n d

other so l ids go ing

down the dra in in

the f irst place.

Repair chippedBugged by t he ch ips i nt h e p o r c e l a i n f i n i s h o fy o u r s i n k , w a s h e r o rre f r i ge ra to r? Po rce la i n

touch-up g laze wi l l h ide

those blemishes on most

e v e r y s u r f a c e e x c e p t

cooktops. For a s ink (or

M o s t a p p l i a n c e p a r t s

s tores s tock a S5 repai r

kit in white but you may

need to order colors.

bathtub), let the repair \ . .dry 24 hours before use. ru''

porcela in

Touch up chips and scratches in the porcetainfinish of appliances using a special color-matched repair kit. Start by cleaning the surface,then use the enclosed fine-grit sandpaper toroughen the finish. Appty thin coats of repairfluid, letting them dry completely between coats.

CIean a st inkyd isposerl f y o u r d i s p o s e r h a s $developed an odor , i t

m a y c o n t a i n b i t s o frotted food. Here's 6*how to c lean them out :1 . Wi th the water running at about ha l f

thrott le, drop in orange or lemon peels.

Run the disposer for f ive seconds. Citr icacid from the peels softens crusty wasteand attacks smelly bacteria. Give the acidabout 15 minutes to do i ts work .

2 . Tu rn on t he wa te r and t he d i spose rand drop in a few ice cubes. Flying shardso f i c e w o r k l i k e a s a n d b l a s t e r i n s i d ethe disposer.

3. Run the water unti l the bowl is abouthal f fu l l . Then pul l the stopper and turnon the disposer to flush it out.

Correct a crooked fr idge doorA sagging refrigerator or freezer doordoesn't just look bad. lt can cause thedoor gaskets to seal poorly, and thatmeans your fridge wil l work harder tokeep the milk cold. lt can also lead tofrost buildup in the freezer. To realignthe door, just pry off the hinge cap andloosen the hinge screws.Then align thedoor with the top of the refrigerator.Adjust only the top hinge to straightenan upper door. To real ign the lowerdoor, adjust the middle hinge. Movingthe middle hinge wil l affect the upperdoor, so you may have to adjust the tophinge afterward.

2 6 K T T c H E N S

Page 29: 207 Money Saving Fixes

bathrooms

fll $$:

i-

f,6ffi,wp"

Make over a bathroom forless than $500

Upgrade your bathroom withnew accessor ies

Top 9 bathroom upgrades

Mount-anywheregrab bar anchors

Water-smart bathroom

Tighten a f toppy faucet handte

0pen she lv ing fo rbathroom storage

A new look for otd tubsand showers

Hang a mi r ro r

Stop a runn ing to i le t

CLean a stuggish to i tetHot g[ue for t i le accessor ies

Restore free flow to acLogged faucet

Wortd 's cheapest bathroomexpansion project

Shower vatve conversionand cover -up

Mount a towe l bar onceramic t i le

Ctean a c logged showerhead

Page 30: 207 Money Saving Fixes

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a bathroom forless than SS00

y o u ' v e l o n g w a n t e d t h e e l e -g a n c e o f n a t u r a l s t o n e i ny o u r h o m e , a n e w g r a n i t e

ba th room van i t y t op i s a g rea t , a f f o rd -

ab le way t o ge t i t . You can f i nd g ran i t e

t o p s a t L o w e ' s , H o m e D e p o t a n d o l h e rhome cen te rs , P r i ces range f r om S 150 t o

5 4 5 0 d e p e n d i n g o n t h e s i z e ( t h e o n es h o w n h e r e c o s t S 2 0 0 ) C o m p l e t e t h i s

ba th makeove r w i t h a new fauce t andm i r r o r , a n d y o u ' l l s t i l l k e e p t h e p r i c e

u n d e r S 5 0 0 .B e g i n b y o r d e r i n g y o u r n e w

i t e m s a n d d o n ' t s t a r t t h e p r o j e c t

u n t i l y o u h a v e t h e m a l l o n h a n d . B e s u r et o i n s p e c t t h e m f o r f l a w s ( a c o m m o np r o b l e m ) . T h e n t e a r o u t t h e o l d f i x t u r e sa n d r e p a i r t h e w a l l s a s n e e d e d .

N e x t , p a i n t t h e w a l l s a n d a d d t h en e w m i r r o r . l f y o u r o l d m r r r o r i n c l u d e d ar e c e s s e d m e d i c i n e c a b i n e t , m a k e s u r et h e n e w o n e f i t s w i t h i n t h e e x i s t i n go p e n i n g . E n l a r g i n g t h e o p e n i n g o f t e ne x p a n d s t h e j o b c o n s i d e r a b l y l

F i n a l l y , m o u n t t h e f a u c e t , i n s t a l l y o u r

n e w g r a n i t e t o p a n d c o n n e c t t h ep l u m b i n g . W h e w l l f a l l g o e s w e l l , y o u ' l l

f i n i s h i n a l o n g w e e k e n d .

Granite vanity tops cost as l i t t le :$150 and come comp le te w i t h anunder-mounted s in k .

2 8 B A T H R o o M s

Page 31: 207 Money Saving Fixes

Upgrayour bathrowith newaccessorres

eplacing accessories l ike towel bars,l ight f ixtures and towels, plus apply-ing a fresh coat of paint, is the easiest

way to make your ba throom fee l new andclean.You don't need special skil ls for success;it 's a screwdriver-and-paintbrush project youcan complete in a weekend. But keep in mindthat this face-lift wil l only work if your basic fix-tures-the sink and faucet, vanity, toilet, tuband ti le-are all sti l l in reasonably good shape.

Also keep in mind that the total cost of thismakeover wil l vary widely depending on yourchoices. You could spend as l i t t le as $200 ormuch more than 5500.

When you shop for accessories, stay with aconsistent style and finish. Manufacturers helpby o f fe r ing match ing se ts o f towe l bars ,shelves, soap dishes and other accessories.

S i m p l y p a i n t i n g t h e w a l l s a n e w c o l o rmakes a quick, dramatic change. But beware. lfyou choose the paint color f irst, you may spenddays hunt ing for matching towels, a rug andshower curtains. To make color coordinat ioneasier, shop for accessories first, using paintsamples as a guide.Then settle on a paint color.

Ex t ra accessor ies to cons ider inc lude apu l lou t mi r ro r near the s ink (530) ; mu l t ip le -level towel bars (shown above; S55); towelwarmer (S40 to 5200); and a self-closing toiletseat (545).

tip Remove the old wallaccessories,then repair, clean and repaint thewalls before adding the new

. accessories.

Revive your bathroom in a weekend with fresh paint and updated hardware.

A pultout mirror comes to you so you don'thave to lean over the sink.

A self-closing toilet seat eliminates theirritating seat banging.

A ptug-in electric towel warmerinstalts in minutes.

M A K E O V E R A B A T H R O O M ; U P G R A D E Y O U R B A T H R O O M 29

Page 32: 207 Money Saving Fixes

TopWhirlpool tub

Bathtubs that provide a massage aren't just for mill ion-do l la r homes anymore . Smal le r tubs tha t f i t in to astandard S-ft.-long tub space, with smaller price tags(start ing at about S500), have made whir lpool tubsaf fo rdab le . When you look a t p r ices , : , : ; :remember to add at least 5200 for thefaucet, p lumbing and electr ical suppl ies.You may want to replace your water heater too. yourwater heater capacity should be about 75 percent of thetub's capacity.

There are two types of whirlpool tubs. Traditional"water-jet"tubs provide a more powerful water stream.The other type of whirlpool, an "air-jet"tub, massages byblasting air through tiny holes. Some people prefer thetingle of air massage; others find it too gentle. Air-jettubs are often louder and incoming air cools the waterfaster. Expect to spend at least S 1,200 for an air-jet tub.

bathroomupgrades

A big mirrorlf you're looking for dramatic results on a l im-ited budget, you can't do better than installinga big mirror. l t wi l l provide a larger v iew, ofcourse, but the real wow effect of a big mirror isthat i t makes a dim, cramped bathroom feelbright and spacious. Home centers and kitchenand bath showrooms carry or can special-orderlarge framed or unframed mirrors. For a wideonline selection, go to simplymirrors.com. lf youwant a large, unframed mirror cut to the sizeand shape you like, call a business that special-

izes in mirrors fiJl:fii?:,Tffil':T

even get a huge mi r ro r(typically up to 6 ft. x 10 ft.)

with polished or beveled edges. youcan also have holes cut so the mirror f its neatlyover switches, outlets or light fixtures (520 to530 per ho le ) . E i ther bu i ld your own mi r ro rframe or leave the edges exposed and hang themirror with clips or adhesive. A 4-ft.x 5-ft. mirrorwith polished edges costs about 5160.

3(, BATHROOMS

Page 33: 207 Money Saving Fixes

A soap dispenserMany hotels no longer provide tiny bars of soap and miniature shampoo bot-

tles. They've discovered that push-button dispensers mean less clutter, more

convenience and quicker cleaning.The version shown here dispenses three

liquids (such as soap, shampoo and conditioner). Either screw it to the wall orfasten it with adhesive and two-sided tape.You might f ind a dispenserat a home center or discount store, but you can check out a variety of

models online; just type "soap dispenser" into any search engine. The

Aviva l l l model shown is available from comforthouse.com for about 540.

A recessed medicinecabinet (or two)

Every bathroom can use morestorage space. And most bathroomshave a spot-usually next to the door-that's perfect for an extra medicine cabinet.lfyou install a "recessed" cabinet that f its inside the wall betweenthe studs, you won't lose an inch of space in the bathroom. lf wallspace allows, you can even install two cabinets this way, side-by-side or over-under. Another good spot for a medicine cabinet isabove the toilet. But in that case, you'l l most l ikely need a sur-face-mount cabinet, since there's usually a large vertical ventpipe in the wall behind the toilet. Medicine cabinets are availableat home centers and kitchen and bath showrooms starting atabout S30. Here are some Web sites to check out: broan,com,nutone.com, robern.com and kitchensou rce.com.

A dimmer switchlf your bathroom is a quiet refuge where

you escape from the world, let the l ighting

match your mood. A simple dimmer switch(58 to 520) lets you choose bright l ight for

shav ing o r app l y i ng makeup and gen t l e

l ight to accompany that soothing shower

or bath. You can ins ta l l one in jus t a few

minutes, but to do i t safe ly you have to

check the grounding and the s ize o f thejunction box.

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T o P 9 B A T H R O O M U P G R A D E S 3 I

Page 34: 207 Money Saving Fixes

New faucet& hardware

lf the main elements of your bathroom-likethe f loor ing , tub and van i ty -a re in goodshape, a new set of matching hardware mightbe all you need for an updated look. Seeminglysmall items like a stylish faucet, l ight f ixtures,towel bars or cabinet door hardware can have abig impact.While you're at it, replace grimy oldlight switch and outlet covers.You'll find every-thing you need at a home center or a kitchenand bath showroom.

Frameless shower& tub doors

Frameless shower doors wil l save you countlesshours of tedious cleaning over the years. Theyaren' t ent i re ly f rameless; you fasten metalchannels to tub or shower walls. But the glassdoors themse lves have no f rames and nocrevices to collect soap scum. Some models,such as Sterling's Finesseseries or Kohler's Puristl ine, a lso feature c leverd e s i g n s t o m a k e i n s t a l l a t i o n e a s i e r(kohler.com). The model shown here (SterlingFinesse 6305-34, about 5+OO) has no crossbarabove the door opening, so there's no headhazard for tall folks and one less part to cleanfor the rest of us (sterl ingplumbing.com).

A quiet bath fanYou might be tempted to leave your noisybath fan off. But don't. Humidity from hotshowers feeds mildew, causes condensation Ia n d c a n s u p p o r t r o t i n s i d e y o u r w a l l s . fInstead, upgrade to a quiet fan.

Fan no ise is measured in "sones . "The jlower the number, the quieter the fdfl."Qqis1" ": 'fans usually hum at 1.5 sones or less; some are as lowas .3 sones (find them at broan.com). lf a fan doesn't carry a sone rating, it's proba-

bly loud (3 to S sones). Quiet fans start at about S100.Replacing a fan and ductwork takes one day. But

often you can connect a quiet fan to existing ductworkand save hours of work. Most quiet fans require ductthat's at least 4 in. in diameter.To determine the size ofyour existing duct, pull off the fan's gri l le and find themanufacturer and model number. Then go online andtype them into a search engine. At Web sites of manufac-turers and parts retailers, you'll find the specificationsfor your fan. lf your fan uses 4-in. duct, you'll have a wide

range of quiet fans to choose from at home centers. lf your fan is connected to 3-in.duct, check out the WhisperFit l ine of fans at panasonic.com.

To remove moisture from your home, it 's best to let a fan run for 15 to 30minutes after you shower or bathe. So consider replacing the fan's switch with atimer. Rotary timers, which work well but make a buzzing sound, cost about 520 athome centers. For silent operation, get an electronic timer (levitonproducts.com,item No.6230M, 543. Another option is to install a fan that switches on whenhumidity levels rise (broan.com, model No. QTXl 10SL).

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32 BATHRooMS

Page 35: 207 Money Saving Fixes

Heated floorBare feet and bathrooms go together, so your feet will appreciatea warm floor all winter long.There are two basic types of f loorheating systems:electric resistance wires, which operate l ike anelectric blankeq and hydronic systems, which pump hot waterthrough f lexible plast ic tubing. Hydronic systems churn outmore heat more economically. Some upscale homes are heatedent i re ly by hydron ic " rad ian t " f loor heat . l f you jus t wantwarm toes when you step out of the tub, you may find electricalheat more practical.The system costs less and is usually easierto install.

With either type of system, there are only two ways to addheat to the floor:You can install new flooring (ceramic ti le is themost popular flooring for heated floors). Or-if the floor is acces-sible from below-you can fasten wires or tubing to theunderside of the subfloor. For any type of floor heatingsystem, expect to spend 510 or more per square foot. {q$ir" i

The type of electric mat shown here is embedded inmor ta r beneath ceramic t i le . For more in fo rmat ion , go tosuntouch.net.

For a mat tha t ' s ins ta l led on the unders ide o f the f loorbetween floor joists, check out calorique.com.

These suppliers specialize in helping do-it-yourselfers installhydronic systems: radiantcompany.com and radiantec.com.

{-

Mount-anywhere grab bar anchorsThe trouble with install ing grab bars is that you have to either find astud and settle for that location or place blocking behind the wall tomount the anchors. And the latter is hard to do with fiberglass enclo-sures or t i led surfaces. Moen's SecureMount anchors (52S for a two-pack)simplify install ing grab bars by letting you place the anchors anywhere.

ln places where there's a stud, screw them in l ike traditional anchors.Where there's no stud,you just dri l l a 1 -1/4-in.

ho le , inser t the g l ides l e e v e a n d a n c h o r ,t h e n p u l l t h e a n c h o ragainst the back of thewal l wi th the pul l taband insert the screw (it

t a k e s l e s s t h a n f i v eminutes). The anchorseven work on 1/8- in.f i b e r g l a s s t u b s u r -rounds i f you want agrab bar in the shower.Available at Lowe's.Moen, (800) 289-6636.moen.com

MOUNTINGPLATE

T O P 9 B A T H R O O M U P G R A D E S ; M O U N T - A N Y W H E R E G R A B B A R A N C H O R S 33

Page 36: 207 Money Saving Fixes

ffiter-smartbathroom

ecause water is cheap (about

51.50 for 1 ,000 ga l lons) and in

m o s t p l a c e s a l w a y s s e e m s

readily avai lable, maybe you haven't wor-

r i ed abou t conse rv ing i t . Bu t as c l eanwater gets harder to come by-36 states

wil l suffer some sort of shortage within

the next decade-prices wil l r ise. Add to

that the cost of heating and sewer fees,

a n d y o u c a n s e e h o w t h o u s a n d s o f

was ted ga l l ons t u rns i n to hund reds o f

wasted do l lars a l l go ing down your dra in .

The good news is that you can turndown the tap without making a majorr i p p l e i n y o u r l i v i n g h a b i t s . T h a t ' sbecause water-wasting fixtures are easyto identify and replace. (Use Figure A tohelp find the major water wasters in yourhome.) Updat ing the thi rst iest room ofyour house-your bathroom-with fix-tures l ike the ones shown here wi l l notonly save water and money, but also givethe room a fresh look.

If your house was built before 1994 andyou're still using the originalplumbing

Jtxtures, you're using 30 to 40 percentmorewater than a comparable new home.

1i $,. i /-cth+

Source: American Water Works Associat ion ResearchFoundation, "Residential End Uses of Water," 1999

Low-flow toiletCost: $200 to $300Water savings: Up to 23,000 gatlons per year(for a four-person famity)

Now's the t ime to replace that old commode. Using 3.5 to as much as 7 gal lonsper f lush (gpf), old-style toi lets are the biggest water wasters in your home.Admittedly, poor f lush performance gave f irst-generation 1.6-gpf toi lets a

bad rap, but with reengineered bowls and trapways, the newest

models f lush more waste with less water.

To save even more water, check out high-efficiencytoilets.These models use 20 percent less water than

the L6-gpf competit ion. Dual-flush toilets, such asSter l ing's Dual Force, are designed to let you

choose ei ther the hal f (0.8 gal lon) or the fu l l(1.6 gal lon) f lush opt ion, saving you 6,000

f . ga l lons per year . A l te rna t ive ly , p ressure-I assist toilets, such as Kohler's Pressure Lite

(photo, lef t ) , employ an air cartr idge that 'scharged by the water pressure from the supply

l ine to push water f rom the tank using just 1.1gallons of water.

Using a compressed-air boost, Kohler'sPressure Lite toilets offer no-plug performanceusing as little as 1.1 gatlons per flush. Thiscan save 5,000 gallons per year.

Figure AWhere's your watergo i ng ?Bathrooms use more water thanany other room in the house.More than a quarter of all thewater used in the whole house is 'litera[ly flushed down the toilet!

cLoTftEsWASHER

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34 B A T H R O O M S

Page 37: 207 Money Saving Fixes

Low-flow showerheadsCost $20 to $100Water savings: 7,800 gallons per year

Hot water savings: $90 per year (electric), $38 per year (gas)

Showerheads are not only the secondheaviest water user but also a majorenergy eater. That's because 70 percent

of the water f lowing through the headcomes from your water heater. By reduc-ing water consumption and water heat-ing needs, a low-flow head saves moneyin two ways.

Saving water with an efficient show-erhead no longer means sett l ing for adrizzle instead of a downpour. To checkthe flow of your existing showerhead, seehow long it takes to fi l l a 1-gallon con-tainer. lf you fi l l the jug in less than 24

seconds, your 2.5-gpm fixture is usingmore water than i t shou ld . l f you ' re

u s i n g a n o l d e r s i n g l e o r a n e w e rmultihead spa shower,an 8- to 10-minute shower can use morew a t e r t h a n a 6 0 - 9 a l l o nwhir lpool tub.

To provide a sat isfy ingshower w i th less water ,today's high-ef f ic iency f ix-t u r e s h a v e g o n e h i g h - t e c h .Delta's water-efficient showerheads( p h o t o r i g h t ) c h a n g e t h e s h a p e a n dvelocity of the water stream-even the

Delta Faucet

At 1.6 gpm, Delta'swater-efficientshowerhead uses36 percent less water,but the high-techhead sti[[ delivers what

feels like a sta.ndard2.5-gpm ftow.

size of the drops-to provide the high-flow feel using just 1.6 gpm.

Low-flow fa ucet aeratorsCost: $2 to $5Water savings: Up to 1,400 gatlons per year (per faucet)

How much water do you really need to wet your toothbrush or rinse a razor? lf the

aerator attached to the end of your bathroom faucet reads 2.2 gpm,you're wasting

water every time you turn on that tap. Install ing a 1.S-gpm aerator on the end of

the spout is a quick and inexpensive way to cut lavatory water use by 30 percent.

Want a five-buck, five-minute water-saving solution? Twist on a 1.5-gpm aeratorand save money every time you turn on the tap.

Want help choosingwater-efficient fixtu res?Look for the logo below. Like the ENERGY STARlabel , the WaterSense tag is an easy'way toidentify efficient products. To earn this label,products must use at least 20 percent lesswater and still perform as well as or better thanother products in that category. For more info,go to epa.gov/watersense.

EPA

Wat nseaerse

Tighten a f loppy faucet handle Il f you have a loose valve handle-on a shower, bathroom or I

[][n:f:;::-..H]:T lH: . ',, :li'ff ffi:il:fJl :]t: I;::flil;:i:::il:,:,',i:*TJ;il i:;i,:TT::H,:;tJfi Iwrench. lf t ightening doesn't work, the stem inside the handle Imay be worn, especially if it's plastic. Here's a trick to tighten worn Istems on most types of faucets:Wrap the stem tightly with Teflon

I

:ffJ5li,:ff.il:,::il:Tillebackoverthestem rn most

t

WATER-SMART BATHROOM; T IGHTEN A FLOPPY FAUCET HANDLE 35

Page 38: 207 Money Saving Fixes

gpen shelvl ngfol bathroom storagF

ost bathrooms have one 'spaceyou can count on for addi t ionalstorage, and that! over the toilet.

Open glass shelving is a great place to displaydecorative bathroom bottles or knickknacks.There are zil l ions of glass shelving systems onthe market. Fol low the direct ions that comewith the system for the installation details, butread on for help anchoring them to the wall,because you probably won't have studs exactlywhere you need them. Here, masking tape isused for marking to avoid damaging the walls.

1 nppty a strip of 2-in.-wide masking tapeI above the center of the toilet and on both

sides where the shelf brackets witt be mounted.Draw a center line with a [eve[ and mark theheights of the shelves on the center tape.Transfer the heights to the bracket tape witha Z-ft. [eve[. Then measure from the centerline to mark the exact left and right locationsfor the brackets.

Page 39: 207 Money Saving Fixes

Open glass sheluing isa great place to display

de cor ativ e b athr o om b o ttl esor knickknacks.

Use self-dri l l ing metal wallanchors to support the brack-ets. The anchors are easy toinstall and you don't have toworry about finding a stud-the anchors attach to the dry-wall. You can remove theshelves and brackets to paintthe wall , and the anchors wil lstay in place, ready for reuse.

Indent the drywall at the marks with a Phittips headscrewdriver and remove the tape.

Screw the brackets to the wall using the screws includedwith the anchors.

t - , i

90-LB.-RATEDWALL ANCHOR

Drive hollow wall anchors through the drywall at the marks.

Center the shetves between the brackets, then press firmlyinto place.

o p E N S H E L V T N G F o R B A T H R o o M s r o R A G E 3 7

Tr l

l i

t ip

Page 40: 207 Money Saving Fixes

A new lookfor old tubs and showers

ver time, the metal on tub and shower controls ands p o u t s c a n b e c o m e t a r n i s h e d a n d d u l l - l o o k i n gdespite all efforts to clean and polish it. An easy way

to solve the problem is to simply install new trim.Almost any tub spout and showerhead can be replaced by

unscrewing the old one and screwing on a replacement.The han-dle and tr im for the tub/shower controls can also usual ly bereplaced without redoing any plumbing by using a universalreplacement kit (available for most brands at home centers andplumbing supply stores). lf you're unsure what kind of replace-ment to buy,just take the old handle and trim to a plumbing sup-ply store to find a matching replacement.

Turn off the water supply, then remove the handle and trim(Photo 1). Most shower handles have a removable cap covering ascrew that holds the handle on; otherwise, look for a setscrewunder the handle.

Tub spouts unscrew (Photo 2) , o r pu l l o f f i f they have asetscrew underneath.You may need to use two hands or even awrench to unscrew them if the spout was caulked. Replace thespout with one that's threaded or attached in the same way, orbuy a un iversa l - type rep lacement spout tha t comes w i thadapters to fit any configuration.

Clean old caulk and dirt off the wall before install ing the newcontrols and spouts. At tach the new handle and tr im in thereverse order that you took them off (Photo 3). Caulk the wallunder the rim of the escutcheon plate with acrylic caulk beforeyou tighten it down,when it 's roughly 1/4in.awayfrom the wall.Leave a 1-in. gap at the bottom, then wipe off excess caulk afterthe plate is t ightened down.

Replacement t r im ki t

SHOWERHEAD

OVERFLOWCOVER

Pry the cover off theunder the cover and

shower handle, then remove the screwslide the handle and escutcheon off.1

Remove the tub spout by turning it counterclockwise or byunscrewing a setscrew and pulting it off.

q"TTh

*##

Fasten the trim ring with the "H" mark on the [eft, thenscrew on the rest of the faucet.

HANDLE

3a BATHROOMS

Page 41: 207 Money Saving Fixes

Hane a mlffofhen you gaze into that newly hung mirror,you'll belooking at someone who did the job right-if you

follow these simple instructions.The key is using mirror mounting clips. These special l i tt le

hooks are sturdy, padded to protect the mirror, and slotted so the

top clips can be pushed up and the mirror removed when the

room is painted, papered or remodeled. Clips (about 58.50 for a

set of four) come in a variety of finishes and styles and are avail-

able at glass shops and home centers.Draw a level line 1 in. above the desired final position of the

mirror bottom (Photo 1). Dril l holes and insert two wall anchor

o

sleeves (Photo 2), then screw the mount ing c l ips into them

Draw a levet line as a guide for the mounting clips. Themirror bottom wi[[ extend about 1 in. below this [ine.1

(Photo 3).lf you hit a stud, screw the clip directly into it. Position

these clips so they support the mirror 3 or 4 in.from each corner.

With the end of your tape measure cradled in a bottom clip,

draw a line indicating the overall height of the mirror (Photo 4).

lnstall the top two slotted clips so they'll grab the mirror when

they're lowered, but when they're raised, they'll rise free of the

top of the mirror. Install the mirror and push the top clips down to

secure it (Photo 5).For mirrors larger than 12 sq.f t . , use a caulk gun to apply

blobs of special mirror mastic to the wall for added support. For

mirrors exceeding I 6 sq.ft., use the mastic and mirror channels, metal

strips that run the full length of the mirror,for even more support.

Drilt holes for the wall anchors. Position holes so the mirrorctips witt be 3 or 4 in. in from each corner of the mirror.

I S.t"tt the mounting ctips into theJ walt anchor sleeves. The paddedcl,ip batk helps cushion and protectthe mirror.

I Measure to estabtish the location oftl ttre top ctips. Position them sowhen lowered they grab the mirror, andwhen raised, they release it.

( Instatt the mirror. Rest it in theJ two bottom clips, then secure it inptace by [owering the two top clips.

A N E W L O O K F O R O L D T U B S A N D S H O W E R S ; H A N G A M I R R O R

Page 42: 207 Money Saving Fixes

top_arunn ilet

toile t t ha t won ' t s t op runn ing can d r i ve you c razy ,espec ia l ly when you ' re t ry ing to fa l l as leep. But you

can put an end to this water torture yourself, even i fyou have no p lumbing know-how. You may be ab le to so lve theprob lem in jus t a few minutes wi thout spending a d ime.At wors t ,th is f ix w i l l cost a few hours and 520 in to i le t par ts .

Finding the problemis usually simpleA to i le t runs constant ly because the f i l l va lve that le ts water in tothe t ank i sn ' t c l os ing comp le te l y . A t o i l e t r uns i n te rm i t t en t l ybecause the va lve opens s l ight ly for a few minutes. In e i ther case,you have to f igure out why that va lve isn ' t s topping the incomingwater f low.

F i rs t , look for leaks. A leak in the tank can make a to i le t runconstantly or intermittently. l f your toi let is leaking, you've proba-

b ly not iced i t a l ready. But take a look jus t to be sure. l f you f indleaks coming f rom the tank bo l ts or f lush va lve, you ' l l most l ike lyhave to remove the tank f rom the bowl so you can rep lace thetank bo l ts , the rubber washers and the gaskets on the f lush va lve.

40 BATHRooMS

l f there are leaks around the f i l l va lve, t ighten the locknut (see

Photo 6 ,p .43) .Leaks can come f rom cracks in the tank, too. In thatcase, the on ly re l iab le so lu t ion is a new to i le t .

l f you don't f ind any leaks,l i f t off the tank cover.At f i rst glance,

the par ts ins ide may look in t imidat ing. But don ' t worry .There arerea l ly on ly two main par ts : the f lush va lve, which le ts water gushin to the bowl dur ing the f lush;and the f i l l va lve, which le ts waterre f i l l the tank af ter the f lush. When a to i le t runs constant ly orin termi t tent ly ,one of these va lves is usual ly a t fau l t .

To determine which va lve is caus ing the t rouble , look a t theover f low tube. l f water is over f lowing in to the tube, there 's aprob lem wi th the f i l l va lve. F i l l va lve f ixes are shown on p.41. l f

the water leve l is be low the top of the tube, the f lush va lve isleak ing, a l lowing water to t r ick le in to the bowl .That s low, con-stant outf low of water prevents the f i l l valve from closing com-pletely. To f ix a f lush valve, see p.44.

Your to i le t won ' t look so pr is t ine ins ide as the ones shownhere.You ' l l f ind scummy sur faces, water s ta ins and corros ion. Butdon ' t be squeamish- the water is as c lean as the s tu f f that comesout of your faucets.

Page 43: 207 Money Saving Fixes

Solut ion 1:

Repair the fill valveYou may have to replace the fill valve, but these three fixes are worth a try first:

Fix 1 : Adjust the floatlf your valve has a ball that f loats at theend of a rod, gently l i ft the rod and listen.lf the water shuts ofl you may be able tostop the running by adjusting the float.Some fi l l valves have a float adjustmentscrew on top (see Figure A). l f there isno ad jus tment sc rew, bend the f loa ta r m ( p h o t o b e l o w ) . l f y o u h a v e aFluidmaster-style fi l l valve, make sure it 'sadjusted properly (Photo 8, p. 43.) Youdon' t have to empty the tank to makethese adjustments.

Fix 2: Flush the valveHard water, debris from old pipes or particles from a break in a city water l ine can prevent

a flush valve from closing completely. Running water through it from the supply l ine wil l

clear the debris. Photos 1 and 2 show you how to do this on one common type of valve.

Even though other valves wil l look different, the clearing process is similar. However, you

may have to remove a few screws on top of the fi l lvalve to remove the cap.

Gently bend the float arm down to putextra pressure on the valve. (To adjust afloat that doesn't have an arm, seePhoto 8, p. 43.) Then ftush the toitetto see if it works.

I n.rou. the fitt valve cap. 0n thisI type of vatve, press down and turn

counterctockwise. Remove screws onother types of valves.

] Cou.t the valve with your hand. Turn3 on the water (cautiously, so youdon't get a cold shower!) and let it flushout the valve for a few seconds.

Fix 3: Replace the washerWhen you remove the cap to f lush out the valve, inspect thewasher for wear or cracks. Replacing a bad washer is cheap (51)

and easy (photo right). But f inding the right washer may not be.The most common washers are often available at home centers

a n d h a r d w a r e s t o r e s .

Other styles can be hard

to f i nd . l f you dec ide t o

hunt for a washer, remove

it and take i t to the store

to f ind a match. Plumbers

usual ly rep lace the whole

f i l l valve rather than hunt

for a replacement washer.

Reptace a worn, crackedvalve washer by pryingthe otd washer out of thecap with a small screw-driver. Press the new oneinto place.

Figure A: toi let cutawayFLOAT ADJUSTMENT

S T O P A R U N N I N G T O I L E T 4 l

Page 44: 207 Money Saving Fixes

Fix 4zlf you can't fix the fill valve, replace itReplacing a fi l l valve requires only a few basic tools (adjustable through the floor or out of the wall. l f you don't have a shutoflpliers and a pair of scissors) and an hour of your time. A kit con- turn off the water supply at the main shutoff valve, where watertaining the type of valve shown here and everything else you enters your home.This is a good time to add a shutoff valve nextneed costs about S12 at home centers and hardware stores. to the toilet or replace one that leaks.This is also a good time to

Your first step is to shut off the water. In most cases, you'l l replace the supply l ine that feeds your toilet (Photo 2). A flexiblehave a shutof f valve r ight next to the to i let coming ei ther supply l ine reinforced with a metal s leeve costs about 57 at

I Reptace the filt valve. TurnI valve. Ftush the toilet and

drain the tank. Sponge out thewith a wet/dry vacuum.

off the water at the shutoffhotd the flush valve open toremaining water or vacuum it up

holds the valve to the tank. Pushas you unscrew the nut. Pult out

) Unscrew the coupting nut that connects the suppty tine.3 lt the valve turns inside the tank, hotd its base withlocking pliers. Tip: Throw a towel on the ftoor underneath tocatch water that witt drain from the line.

Measure the height of the overflow tube. Measure to thetop of the tube, not to any water levet label on the tube.3

the

Remove the locknut thatdown gently on the vatve

old valve.

42 BATHRooMS

Page 45: 207 Money Saving Fixes

home centers and hardware stores. Photos 1 - 8 show how to

replace the valve. l f the height of your valve is adjustable, set the

height before you instal l the valve (Photo 5). l f your valve is a dif-

ferent s ty le f rom the one shown, check the d i rect ions. Af ter

mounting the valve (Photo 6), connect the f i l l tube (Photo 7).The

fi l l tube squirts water into the overf low tube to ref i l l the toi let

f nalust the height of the new fil|, valve by hol,ding the baseJ and twisting the top. The height from the base to the CL(criticat levet) mark should be the height of the overftow tubeplus 1 in.

] Sfip the filt tube onto the fitt vatve. Clip the angte adaptert onto the overflow tube. Then cut the tube to fit and slip itonto the angle adapter.

bowl.The water that refi l ls the tank gushes from the bottom ofthe f i l lvalve.When you instal l the valve and supply l ines, turn thenuts finger-tight.Then give each another one-eighth turn withpl iers. When you turn the water supply back on, immediatelycheck for leaks and tighten the nuts a bit more if necessary.

4, n.toue the cap, press down to compress the washer andY screw on the locknut. Connect the supply line and ftushthe valve. Reset the cap and check for leaks.

fl furn on the water to fitt the tank. Pinch the spring cliplf and slide the ftoat up or down to set the water tevel 1 in.below the top of the overflow tube or to the water line markedon the tank.

S T O P A R U N N I N G T o I L E T 4 3

Page 46: 207 Money Saving Fixes

Fix the flush valve.._.2J)

Xf rffi,Solut ion 2;

When a flush valve causes a toilet to run, a worn flapper is usuallythe culprit. But not always. First, look at the chain that raises thef lapper. l f there's too much slack in the chain, i t can tangle up andprevent the flapper from closing firmly. A chain with too l itt leslack can cause trouble too. Photo 3 on p.45 shows how to set theslack just r ight .

Next, test the flapper as shown in Photo 1 . lf extra pressure onthe flapper doesn't stop the running noise, water is l ikely escap-ing through a cracked or corroded overflow tube. In that case,you have to detach the tank from the bowl and replace the wholeflush valve.

lf pressing down on the flapper stops the noise, the flapperisn't sealing under normal pressure.Turn off the water, f lush thetoi let to empty the tank and then run your f inger around the r im

I fusn down on the ftapper with a yardstick and tisten. If theI sound of running water stops, the flapper needs replacing.

of the f lush valve seat. l f you feelminera l depos i ts , c lean the f lushvalve seat with an abrasive sponge orScotchBr i te pad. Don ' t use any th ingthat might roughen i t . l f c leaning the f lush valve seat doesn' tsolve the problem, you need to replace the flapper.

Replacing your flapper may require slightly different stepsthan are shown here (Photos 2 and 3). Your flapper may screwonto a threaded rod or have a ring that slips over the overflowtube. lf you have an unusual f lush valve, f inding a replacementflapper may be the hardest part of the job. To find a suitablereplacement,turn off the water, remove the flapper,and take theold one with you to the home center or hardware store.You maynot find an identical match, but chances are you'l l locate one of

Remove the old ftapper from the ears of the overflow tubeand detach the chain from the handle arm.

44 BATHRoOMS

Page 47: 207 Money Saving Fixes

the same shape and d iameter . l f

no t , t r y a p l umb ing supp l y s to re ( i n

the ye l low pages under "P lumbing Suppl ies" )

o r sea rch on l i ne (a good sou rce i s dop lumb .com) . l t he lps t o

know the brand and model o f your to i le t .The brand name is

usual ly on the bowl behind the seat . In some cases, the

model or number wi l l be on the unders ide of the

l i d o r i ns i de t he t ank . Ma tch ing an unusua l

f l a p p e r c a n b e c o m e a t r i a l - a n d - e r r o r

process. Even profess ional p lumbers

sometimes try two or three f lap-pers before they f ind one

that works well .

Clean a sluggish toi letlf your toilet f lushes slowly, the rinse holes under the

rim may be clogged with mineral deposits.With a mir-

ror and a coat hanger,you can clean out those cloggedholes without ever getting your hands dirty.The photo

says it all- look into the mirror to see if the holes areclogged and poke them clean with a coat hanger.

Use a hand mirror to see the hotes under the rim ofthe toilet. Bend a coat hanger ftat and probe the tipinto the holes to poke out any mineral deposits.

Hot glue for t i le accessoriesMost t i le setters use masking tape to support ceramic

soap d ishes and shelves whi le the t i le adhes ive cures.

Here 's a bet ter way: Apply a smal l bead of hot -mel t

g lue a long the seam. Hold the i tem in p lace for jus t a

few seconds while the hot glue st i f fens.The glue cre-

ates a strong seal, so there's l i t t le chance of sl ipping or

breakage. Once the permanent adhesive sets, just peel

away the bead of glue.

Q nttactr the new fl,apper to the overftowd shsin to the handte arm. Leave 7/2 in.chain. Turn the water back on and test-flush

tube and hook theof slack in thethe toilet.

S T O P A R U N N I N G T O I L E T ; C L E A N A S L U G G I S H T O I L E T ; H O T G L U E F O R T I L E A C C E S S O R I E S 45

Page 48: 207 Money Saving Fixes

Restore free flow to a clogged faucetl f t h e f l o w f r o m y o u r b a t h r o o m o rkitchen faucet isn't what it used to be,theaerator is probably plugged. An aeratorcan clog slowly as mineral deposits buildu p , o r q u i c k l y a f t e r p l u m b i n g w o r kloosens debr is ins ide p ipes . Usua l ly , aq u i c k c l e a n i n g s o l v e s t h e p r o b l e m .Remove the aerator (Photo 1) and disas-semble it. You may need a small screw-dr iver or kni fe to pry the componentsapar t . Scrub away any tough bu i ldupwi th an o ld too thbrush (Photo 2) andrinse each part thoroughly. Deposits canalso build up inside the faucet neck, soream it out with your finger and flush outthe loosened debris.

l f the mineral bui ldup resists scrub-bing and you have a standard cylinder-shaped aerator, you can replace it (about

55). Take your old aerator along to thehome center or hardware store to find amatch. lf your aerator has a fancy shape( l i k e t h e o n e s h o w n h e r e ) , f i n d i n g amatch won't be as simple. So try this first:S o a k t h e a e r a t o r p a r t s i n v i n e g a rovernight to sof ten mineral bui ldup. l f

'l Wrap the jaws of ptiers with etectri-I cal tape and unscrew the aerator.

Ctose the stopper so the sma[[ parts can'tfall down the drain.

t h a t d o e s n ' t w o r k , g o t o a n y o n l i n e

search engine and type in the brand ofyour faucet fol lowed by "faucet parts."

With a l i t t le searching, you can f ind dia-

g:'"d) Oir.s.mbte the aerator and lay outG ttre parts in the order you removethem to make reassembly footproof.Scrub the parts and reassemble them.

grams of your faucet and order a new

aerator. Expect to spend 51 0 or more for

a nonstandard aerator.

r t t

World's cheapest bathroom expansion projectlf you need more room in your shower, check out the Crescent Rod.This curved curtainrod replaces your old straight one and gives you a surprising amount of extra elbow

.ff*

df '

rf\

./nroom. The mount ing hardware is s imple andinstal lat ion is straightforward; you caneven use your existing shower cur- i

ta in!The basic chrome rod can bead jus ted t o accommoda te , ' . r .

s p a c e s s l i g h t l y l a r g e r o r n ' ' "- , |

smaller than the standard i '5-ft. bathtub width.

T h i s p r o d u c t i s a v a i l -ab le f rom lmprovementscatalog (prod uct No. 205786)for about S40.

lmprovements catalog,(800) 634-9484.i mprovementscatalog.co m

4

cF

0.i

46 BATHRooMS

Page 49: 207 Money Saving Fixes

Mount a towel baron ceramic t i leIn the past, ceramic fixtures such as towel barholders and soap dishes were cemented rightto the wa l l and the t i le was f i t ted aroundthem. Now most are designed to be glued tothe face of the ti le with 100 percent sil iconecaulk.The only t r icky part is holding them inplace unt i l the s i l icone sets up.

First thoroughly c lean the t i le wi th dena-tured alcohol. Lay a bead of caulk on the backof the fixture, push it into place and secure itwith masking tape. Let the caulk stiffen for anhour o r so and then add cau lk a round theperimeter, Use a wet finger or rag to smooththe caulk joint. Let it sit overnight before youpul l the tape. Remember to put the rod inbefore setting the second fixture.

MASKINGTAPE HOLDS

FIXTURESIN PIACE

Shower vaf ve convers ion and cover-upThe best way to replace a two-handled shower valve with a single-handled

unit is with a conversion plate.The plate covers the old valve holes and you

do the ent i re job through the ho le you cut in the t i le . Buy a p la te ($25 to

$50) that f i ts your new faucet and is wide enough to cover the old valve

posit ions.To f ind a conversion plate, cal l a plumbing supply store or order

on l ine a t abso lu tehome.com.

I Unscrew the otd handtes.I Mark the cover hole on the

tile and cut it out with an abra-sive blade in a jigsaw.

1 cut the pipes and removeA *e old valve. Solder in anew one and screw the conversionptate over the hote.

Clean a clogged showerheadHere's a quick fix for a clogged showerhead. Pour whitevinegar into a plastic sandwich bag unti l i t 's half full.Pull the bag over the showerhead unti l i ts spray chan-nels are submerged.Tape the bag to the showerheadpipe with electricaltape and leave on overnight.Scrubaway any remaining buildup with an old toothbrush.Your showerhead wil l be as good as new. Note:Vinegarmay damage old,worn finishes.

s.f

C L O G G E D F A U C E T ; S H O W E R C U R T A I N R O D ; S H O W E R V A L V E C O N V E R S I O N ; T O W E L B A R ; C L O G G E D S H O W E R H E A D

Page 50: 207 Money Saving Fixes

Easy water softener fixesI S your soft water not so soft anymore? You can often

I \ f ix the problem yourself. However, if you have ana J older softener (20 years or more) and none of these

fixes work, it may need replacement (5SOO and up).All softeners, whether they have one or two tanks, work the

same way.As cold water f lows through the resin tank,the mineralcontent-the hardness-is removed because the minerals stickto thousands of resin beads. When the softener recharges, theflow of fresh water is stopped while salty water from the brinetank is sucked into the resin tank,where it dissolves the accumu-lated minerals and is f lushed down the drain.

Before you tear apart your softener, check the control set-tings-especially after a long power outage.The timer clock hasto show the r ight t ime so that the resin tank is c leaned andrecharged when no one is using water (usually early morning).

Also make sure the hardness sett ing is st i l l correct-wel lwater hardness can change over time. Bring a small container ofyour water to a water softener dealer for a water hardness test,then check the results against your settings.

Note: Set the water supply to "bypass" before working on thesoftener. And run the hot water after you turn the softener backon to flush out any hard water.

Look forsalt problems

Check for sal t problems in the br ine tank. Start by pushing abroom handle down into the salt to break up salt bridges (l ike adome), blocking salt from dropping to the bottom of the tank. lftoo l itt le salt gets dissolved,the resin bed won't get clean and thewater won't get softened.

Also, when the salt level is low (or at least once a year), checkfor a crust of salt mush at the bottom.This thick salt paste doesn'td issolve wel l , reducing the sal in i ty of the br ine solut ion, andneeds to be removed.

Don't use rock salU it contains dirt and other impurit ies thatcan clog the softener.

Scoop out the mush at the bottom of the tank, then pour in hotwater to dissolve the rest before regenerating the system.

4A SPEc IAL SECTIoN : ADD YEARS To YoUR APPL IANcES

a clean theI resin bedClean the resin bed twice a year with resin bed cleaner (available

at water softener dealers) if you have "clear water iron" (dissolved

iron makes a glass of water turn cloudy or rusty after sitting forseveral minutes).Otherwise the resin bed won't remove the iron.

Pour diluted resin cleaner into the brinewell tube. Lift outthe air check valve (or brine vatve assembly) and clean it inwarm water.

Page 51: 207 Money Saving Fixes

2 Clean theJ venturi assemblyThe salty water flows through these parts fromthe brine tank to the resin tank. lf the screenand nozzle get clogged by sediment, the resinbed won't be cleaned and the water will stayhard (photos at right).

I neroue the cap that covers theI venturi assembty and filter screen

and carefutty remove the parts.

I eentty ctean dirt and mineral3 deposits from the screen andfrom the venturi assembly parts ina pan of warm water.

Extend the life of your water heaterWater heaters often work perfectly for a decade or more always let the water f low unti l you no longer see particles in

without any care, so they're easy to neglect. But a few min- the bucket. Caution:The water is scalding hot.

utes of maintenance once a year pays off by extending Don't worry about any gurgling or groaning noises com-

the tank's l i fe span and maintaining your water heater's ing from the heater; it 's just air entering the system as water

efficiency and safety. drains out. lf the drain valve won't close tightly when you're

Before you do any maintenance, close the shutoff valve on done, drain the tank completely, unscrew the old valve and

the cold water supply pipe that feeds the water heater.Then screw in a new one (58).To restart the water heater, open the

turn on the hot water at any faucet to release the pressure shutoff valve and let the hot water run at any faucet to

inside the heater's tank. Leave the faucet on unti l you finish purge air from the system.Then turn on the power or relight

your work. lf you have an electric heater, turn off the power at the pilot.

the main panel. With a gas heater, turn the gas

control dial to "off."First, test the pressure-relief valve located on

the top or side of the water heater (Photo 1).Thissafety valve opens automatically if the pressure

inside the tank gets too high. (Excess pressure

can actual ly cause the tank to explode.) l f thevalve doesn' t re lease water when you l i f t thelever, replace the valve ($13 at home centers andhardware stores). Replacement is simple; unscrewthe d ischarge p ipe and then unscrew the o ldvalve. Wrap the threads of the new valve wi ththread sealant tape and screw it into the tank.lfyour valve is several years old and has never beentested, it might leak after you test it. ln that case,replace the valve.

Next, drain the tank to f lush out sedimentsthat have sett led to the bottom of the tank.Sediment bui ldup adds to your energy bi l l byreducing the efficiency of your water heater, andshortens its l i fe. Draining 2 or 3 gallons of water isu s u a l l y e n o u g h t o f l u s h o u t s e d i m e n t s , b u t

1 Op"n the drain valve slowty3 and l,et the water run untilit's clear and free of sediments.Caution: The water is hot!

L

W

PRESSURE.RELIEF VALVE

I rUce a bucket betow theI discharge pipe and gently

tift the lever on the pressure-relief valve to test it.

EASY WATER SOFTENER F IXES; EXTEND THE L IFE OF YOUR WATER HEATER 49

Page 52: 207 Money Saving Fixes

Stop washingmachine walkl f your wash ing mach ine hasb e e n m a k i n g l o u d t h u m p i n gnoises and moving across thefloor when it 's in spin cycle, itprobably needs to be leveled.For tunate ly , i t ' s an easy f i x ,though you may need a helperto t i l t up the machine.

Push the machine back intoposition if i t has moved acrossthe floor.Adjust the front legs tomake the machine level acrossthe front and from front to back(Photo 1). The legs can usual lybe tu rned by hand a f te r thelock ing nu t a t the top o f thethreads is turned down, but i fthe th reads are rus ted , use awrench.

After level ing, lock the leginto place with the locking nut(Photo 2).

Most washing machin,es. { l f f t the machine st ighfly with a pry bar

have self-adjusting rear legs that I to t.t "

the weight off the front legs,level from side to side, but dirt, then turn the legs untit the side of the washerl i n t and rus t may keep them i s p l umb .

f rom work ing p rope r l y . l f t he

back isn't level, t ip the washing machine up a few inches and port may be rusted against the washing machine frame.Tip thethenset i tbackdownsotheweigh to f themach ine loosens the mach ine o f f the ground, then break the se l f - leve l ing suppor tlegs. lf the machine sti l l doesn't level out, the self-leveling sup- loose by tapping the legs (Photo 3).

[:" .*w\'!dr.,

LOCKINGNUT

) fignten the locking nut up against the3 frame of the washing machine to keepthe leg from turning.

Q f the rear leveting mechanism is frozend with rust, tap the legs a few times withpliers or a hammer to break it free.

Clean refrigerator door gasketsPrevent an expensive gasket repair bil l (5100 to 5200) and cutdown air leaks by keeping your door gasket clean. Syrup, jelly orany other st icky stuf f dr ipping down the front s ides of yourrefrigerator can dry and glue the gasket to the frame.The nexttime you open the door, your gasket can tear. Keep it clean andyou'l l get a nice, t ight seal, keeping the cool airwhere it belongs, in the fridge.

TIP: To prevent wear, lubricate thedoor handle side of the gasket bysprinkl ing baby powderon a cloth andwiping i t downonce a month.

t

'. s

Wipe the door gasket regutarly with warm water and asponge. Don't use detergent-it can damage the gasket.

5(D S P E C I A L S E C T I O N : A D D Y E A R S T O Y O U R A P P L I A N C E S

Page 53: 207 Money Saving Fixes

wallsfloors

52 Make over a watl for lessthan $300

53 Transform a room with trimand paint for less than $400

54 Paint rolling techniques

57 Repair corner beadFix bad wallpaper seams

58 Use aluminum for quickwa[[ repairs

59 Regrout bathroom watl ti[e

60 Basement wa[[ waterproofersFix nail pops in drywall

61 Fix squeaky ftoors

62 Cosmetic fix for carpetRemove tough stains from

vinyl flooringRestore dented carpet

63 Fix loose seams in vinyl floors

64 Remove candle wax fromcarpeting

Stiffen a bouncy ftoor

51

Page 54: 207 Money Saving Fixes

Makeoverawallfor less than Sg00

you haven't visited a wall-covering retailer lately,you'remissing a treat. With the revived popularity of wall-paper, stores are offering an expanded range of choices.

You don't have to cover every wall to make a dra-mat ic change. Paper ing only a s ingle wal l wi l ldo, and that' l l make some of those fine, expen-s ive papers o r fabr ics a f fo rdab le . l t ' l l a lsolessen the time, effort and mess of paperingan entire room.This is an especially good solutionfor a room with plain walls, slim baseboards and win-dow trim, and no built- ins.You create instant character.

Begin by taking a photo of your existing room and measur-ing its dimensions.Take these with you to the interior design orwall-covering store. Ask a specialist to help sort through optionsthat' l l work well with your existing furnishings.The specialist wil lalso help you pick the best wall for the new paper and estimatethe amount to order.

room with less effort and expensefour wa[[s.

Some papers can be hard to hang, especially fabrics, rolls withuncut edges and other designer papers. Always check the hang-ing instructions and ask the dealer about the diff iculty level. lf

KTMURA sTLKscREEN you're a novice paperhanger or fall in love withwALLpApER a super-expensive paper, consider hiring a pro.

The extra cost should be modest for a singlewal l , f rom S150 to 5250.

Be sure to fi l l holes and smoothyour wall before beginning. Rough

spots migh t show th rough thepaper. Then seal the wall surface

with an acrylic primer.lt dries hardand smooth . Th is a l lows you toslide the paper a bit more easily to

t i g h t e n s e a m s . T h e w a l l p a p e rshown here cost 5122for a double roll.

Supplies cost another 520 to 550.

Wg,'

than covering the wholeWallpaper on one wall addsbold pattern that woutd be

52 wALLS & FLooRS

drama to a dutloverpowering on

room. It also lets you choose a

Page 55: 207 Money Saving Fixes

painted trim requires less skilt, time and expense than stained and varnished trim. To create wall stripes, apply easy-release masking

tape over a tight base color.

' i , . adding two simple l ines of t r im-a chair ra i l

, j ; ' : ;

and a crown molding-you create the perfect' tramework for any handsome two-color wall

combination.This is one of the secrets of fast, easy redecorating.To have the biggest color impact, paint your trim.This also sim-

plifies installation. You don't have to cut perfect joints, because alitt le f i l ler and paint wil l leave them looking sharp and crisp.You

can also use less expensive materials. The six gallons of paint and80 ft.of chair railand crown molding forthis room cost $380.

The trim combination shown here looks best in rooms with atleast 4-1/2-in.-tall baseboards.lf your baseboard is narrower, con-

sider replacing it.Then make the new chair rail 60 to 70 percent ofthe width of your baseboard. Use a two-piececombinat ion tha t mimics a w indows i l l(stool) and its apron (the trim underneath)if you have this type of trim. Otherwise, usetrim similartoyourwindowtrim with a 5/8-to 3/4-in. strip on top. Center your chair railat about one-third the wall height. Choosecrown molding that's 30 to 40 percent ofthe width of the baseboard.

Finding colors that work well togetherand go well with the existing room fur-n ish ings can be cha l leng ing . Take fu l ladvantage of pictures in magazines andthe combinations recommended by paint

tip Prepaint the trim and paint the walls before you putthe trim up.Touch up afterward.

manufacturers that you find at every paint store.Take photos of

rooms you like and work with a paint dealer to match colors. Most

home centers and paint dealers now offer sample paint quantities

for 55.You can try them directly on the wall or paint a 2x2-ft.

scrap of drywall or cardboard instead.That way you can view the

samples in different parts of the room. Then look at the colors

both in daylight and with your l ights on at night. (Some colors

change dramatically under different types of light.)

Right-sized tr imTo accentuate-rather than dominate-colorful walls, choose chair rail that's

about two-thirds of the baseboard width and crown molding that's about one-

third the baseboard width. For a more traditional lgok, choose crown that's

about two-thirds of the baseboard width.

2-1t4l/N. PLUS 5/8 rN. l2-7l8 lN.l

MAKE OVER A WALL; TRANSFORM A ROOM 53

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ost people have used paint rollers before, withvarying degrees of success. Maybe you plungedright in and started rolling, developing your own

technique as you went. Or maybe you read the instructionstef l ing you to apply the paint in some pattern, usually doW,"before ro l l ing i t ou t . Here you ' l l learn a s l igh t ly d i f fe ren tapproach. This is a simple method to quickly spread a smooth,even coat of latex paint on the wall.lt's not fancy, but it gets thejob done in record time and eliminates common problems likel ight areas, rol ler marks and bui l t -up r idges that somet imesplague painters.

However, even the best technique won't work with poor-quality equipment. Don't waste your money on those all-in-onethroivaway roller setups when you can buy a pro setup that willlast a lifetime for less than S20. Start with a good roller framethat's sturdy and designed to keep the roller cover fromslipping off while you paint. To extend your reachand give you better control, screw a 48-in. woodhandle (53) onto the end of the roller. Youcould also use a threaded broom handle.

You'll need a container for the paint.While most homeownersuse paint trays, you'l lrarely see a pro usingone. That 's becausea 5 - g a l l o n b u c k e twith a special buckets c r e e n ( S 2 a t p a i n tstores or home centers)hung over the edgeworks a lot better.

Here are a few ad-vantages of a bucketand screen over aroller pan:il l t 's easy to move

the bucket w i th -out spi l l ing.

I The bucket holdsm o r e p a i n t . Y o uwon't have to fre-quently refilla pan.

I You're less likelytotrip over or step ina bucket of paint.

Load the rolter cover with paint bydipping into the paint about ll2 in.and then rolling it against the screen.Fitting a dry rolter cover with paintwill require five or six repetitions.After that, two or three dips are atlyou need. Leave the roller almostdripping with paint.

I It's quicker and easier to load the roller cover with paint froma bucket.Itt easy to cover a bucket with a damp cloth to prevent thepaint from drying out while you're taking a lunch break.

54 WALLS & FLooRS

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1 a.V the paint on the watt with aI sweeping stroke. Start about a foot

from the bottom and 6 in. from the cor-ner and roll upward at a slight angteusing light pressure. Stop a few inchesfrom the ceiling. Now rotl up and downback toward the corner to quickly spreadthe paint. You can leave paint buitdupand roller marks at this step. Don't worryabout a perfect job yet.

Take a wool-blendroller coverfor a spinThe most important parto f y o u r p a i n t r o l l i n gs e t u p i s t h e r o l l e rcover, also known as asleeve. lt's tempting tob u y t h e c h e a p e s tc o v e r a v a i l a b l e a n dthrow i t away whenyou're done. But you won'tmind the few extra minutes ofcleanup time once you experience thedifference a good roller cover makes. Cheap roller covers don'thold enough paint to do a good job.lt ' l l take you four times aslong to paint a room. And you'll likely end up with an inconsis-tent layer of paint,lap marks and built-up ridges of paint.

lnstead, buy a 1/Z-ln. nap wool-blend rqller cover and give ita try. With proper care, this may be the last roller cover you'llever buy.

Wool covers do have a few drawbacks, though.They tend toshed fibers when they're first used.To minimize shedding, wrapthe new roller cover with masking tape and peel it off to removeloose fibers. Repeat this a few times. Wool covers also tend tobecome matted down if you apply too much pressure whilepainting. Roll ing demands a l ight touch. No matter what roller

] netoaU the rolter and repeat the3 process in the adjacent space, work-ing back toward the painted area.

Q nott back over the entire area youteJ covered to smooth and blend thepaint. Don't reload the rolter with paintfor this step. Use very tight pressure. Ro[[up and down, from floor to ceiting andmove over about three-quarters of a rolterwidth each time so you're always stightlyoverlapping the previous stroke. Whenyou reach the corner, rotl as close as youcan to the adjacent wall without touchingit. Repeat Steps 1 through 3 until theentire wall is painted.

cover you're using, always let the paint do thework. Keep the roller cover loaded with paint and

use only enough pressure to release and spread thepaint . Pushing on the rol ler to squeeze out the last

drop of paint wil l only cause problems.

The best coat of paint can'thide bumpy wallsFill holes with l ightweight spackling compound and sand themsmooth when it dries.Then go over the entire wall with 100-gritsandpaper mounted in a drywall sanding handle. The ultimatesetup for this job is a pole-mounted drywall sander with a 100-grit mesh drywall sanding screen, but any method of sanding offold paint lumps and bumps wil l do. Next mask offthe baseboardand window and door trim. Slide the blade of a flexible puttyknife along the edge of the masking tape to seal it. Otherwisepaint wil l bleed underneath.

Tips for a perfect paint jobI Keep a wet edge. Keeping a wet edge is crucial to all top-quality paint jobs, whether you're enameling a door or roll ingpaint on a wall.The idea is to plan the sequence of workand workfast enough so that you're always lapping newly applied paintonto paint that's still wet.lf you stop for a break in the middle of awall, for example, and then start painting after this section hasdried, you'l l l ikely see a lap mark where the two areas join. Theroll ing technique shown here avoids this problem by allowing

P A r N T R o L L T N G T E c H N T o U E S 5 5

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you to quickly cover a large area with paintand then return to smooth it out.

Lay it on, smooth it off. The biggestmistake most beginning painters make,w h e t h e r t h e y ' r e b r u s h i n g o r r o l l i n g , i staking too long to apply the paint. Photo 1(p.55) shows how to lay on the paint.Thenquickly spread it out and repeat the laying-on process again (Photo 2). This wil l onlywork with a good-quality roller cover thatholds a lot of paint. Until you're comfort-able with the technique and get a feel forhow quickly the paint is drying, cover onlyabout 3 or 4 ft. of wall before smoothingthe whole area off (Photo 3). lf you find thepaint is dry ing s lowly, you can cover anentire wall before smoothing it off.

Get as close as you can. Since rollerscan't get t ight to edges, the first paintingstep is to brush along the cei l ing, insidecorners and mold ings . Th is "cu t t ing in "process leaves brush marks tha t won ' tmatch the roller texture on the rest of thewall. For the best-looking job, you'l l want tocover as many brush marks as possible withthe roller. Do this by carefully roll ing up close toinside corners, moldings and the ceil ing. Face theopen end o f the ro l le r toward the edge andremember not to use a roller that's fully loadedwith paint . With pract ice, you' l l be able to getwithin an inch of the ceil ing roll ing vertically, andcan avoid crawling up on a ladder to paint hori-zontally.

Pick out the lumps before they dry. lt 'sinevitable that you'l l end up with an occasionallump in your paint . Keep the rol ler cover awayfrom the f loor where i t might pick up bi ts ofdebris that are later spread against the wall. Dry-ing bits of paint from the edge of the bucket orbucket screen can also cause this problem. Coverthe bucket with a damp cloth when you're notusing it. l f partially dried paint is sloughing off thescreen, take it out and clean it. Keep a wet rag inyour pocket and pick lumps offthe wallas you go.S t r a i n l e f t o v e r p a i n t t h r o u g h a m e s h p a i n tstrainer to remove lumps. Five-gallon size strain-ers are available at paint stores for about 51.

Scrape excess paint from the roller beforeyou wash it. Use your putty knife, or better yet, aspecial ro l ler scraping tool wi th a semicircularcutout in the blade. Then rinse the roller coverunt i l the water runs c lear . A ro l le r and pa in tbrush spinning tool , avai lable at hardware andpaint stores for about 58, simplif ies the cleaningtask. Just s l ip the rol ler cover onto the spinnerand repeatedly wet and spin out the roller unti li t 's clean.

56 WALLS & FLOORS

,,[ Smoottr the paint atong the ceitingtT using a long horizontal stroke with-out reloading the roller with paint. If youare skilled enough to ro11 within an inchof the ceiting white rolling verticatly, youcan skip this step.

E ,.t paint on wa[[ areas above andJ below windows and doors with a longhorizontal stroke. Then smooth it off withshort verticat strokes so the texture willmatch the rest of the wa[[.

Avoid fat edges and roller marksRidges of paint left by the edge of the roller,or"fat edges,"are a commonproblem. And if left to dry, they can be difficult to get rid of withoutheavy sanding or patching. Here are a few ways to avoid the problem:I Don't submerge the roller in the paint to load it. Paint can seep inside

the roller cover and leak out while you're rolling.Try to dip only the nap.Then spin it against the screen and dip again until it's loaded with paint.

I Don't press too hard when you're smoothing out the paint.I Never start against an edge,like a corner or molding,with a full roller

of paint.You'll leave a heavy buildup of paint that can't be spread out.Starting about 6 in. from the edge, unload the paint from the roller.T h e n w o r k b a c ktoward the edge.

I Unload excess paintf rom the open endof the roller beforeyou ro l l back overthe wallto smooth itout. Do this by tiltingthe roller and apply-i n g a l i t t l e e x t r apressure to the opens i d e o f t h e r o l l e rw h i l e r o l l i n g i t u pa n d d o w n i n t h earea you 've jus tpainted. Smooth watls by rolling back over the wet

paint without reloading the rolter. Rolllightty without pressing.

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Repair corner beadWith rambunct ious k ids or c lumsy adul ts banging stuf f

around, something eventual ly smashes into the wal l and

damages the metal corner bead. Damaged corner bead can

be fixed quickly with quick-setting patching compound (a

4-lb. box costs $3) and the common tools shown here.When

the powdered quick-setting compound is mixed with water,a

chemical reaction causes it to harden faster and stronger

than premixed drywall compounds. This speeds up repair

time and offers extra protection from future mishaps.Photos 1 and 2 show how to bend the corner bead back in

place and remove any sharp burrs.You can't get a smooth fin-

ish if any part of the metal bead sticks out.When the wall was

originaliy finished, a strip of tape may have been run over the

corner bead flange and adjoining drywall. lf this tape is loose

from the accident, cut it and any other loose drywall away

and patch the damaged area. Use a fan to increase air circula-

tion and speed up drying time.You may be able to match thepaint (most home centers need a chip the size of a quarter to

match the color), but chances are you're going to have to

repaint the entire wall to hide the repair.

File ofJ any sharp edges left on the corner bead witha mil l f i le.

I ,

t l f.p the corner bead straight with a smooth hammerI ldon't worry if you bury it in the watlla tittte). Use a

level to check straightness and to make sure the beaddoesn't protrude past the finished wall.

! rut a tarp down and cut away any toos! paint or paperrJ around the damaged area with a utitity. knife. Mix somequick-setting patching compound until ifs as smooth as warmbutter, then filt in the damaged area. Let the compoundharden, then recoat. Sand the area smooth after ifs dry.

F ix bad wal lpaper seamsRepairing loose seams is fairly simple. Just apply a seam repair adhe-

sive. lt provides a solid bond and will keep the seams from comingloose. lt's available at paint stores and home centers for less than S 10.

Squirt the adhesive directly onto the wall behind the loose seams,

then press the edges back into place. Use a roller or straightedge as

shown to firmly press the paper against the wall and drive out any air

bubbles.Wipe away any excess adhesive with a damp sponge.

ROLLING TECHNIOUES; REPAIR CORNER BEAD; BAD WALLPAPER SEAMS 57

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Use aluminum forquickwall repalrs

he traditional method of repairing holes in walls is tosquare the hole, put wood backing behind it, cut andscrew on a drywall patch, and then tape the edges. Alu-

minum patches, available at home centers and paint and hard-ware stores for 52 to 54, give the same results with much lesswork. The patches, which come in 4-,6- and 8-in. sizes, are stiffenough to span holes and thin enough to disappear after tapingand painting.

Select a patch large enough to overlap the hole on all sidesby an inch,then stick the patch on (Photo 1). Patches can be cut

I Ctean off broken edges and tears around the hole. ThenI cover the hole entirety with the patch, sticky side toward

the watl.

When it's dry, recoat the patch and then feather out thecompound on a[[ sides to make the patch blend in.

WALLS & FLOORS

358

or overlapped as needed.Trowel on the first coat of joint compound over the patch,

spreading the compound flat enough to see the outl ine of themesh through it (Photo 2).

Allow the compound to dry overnight, then apply a widersecond coat (Photo 3),followed by a final,third coat after the sec-ond coat dries. Spread the compound in thin coats extending 8to l2 in. beyond the patch in all directions.

After the final coat has dried overnight, sand it smooth, primeand paint (Photo 4).

Spread the first coat of joint compound over the patch witha wide taping knife. Let it dry overnight.

Sand the patched area with a sanding sponge until it feetssmooth and even.

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bathroom wall tileenewing old grout has always involved long hours ofhacking away at old, worn grout with a tiny grout saw.Simplify the job by purchasing a 520 grout removal

Regrout

GUIDES-----

to f ind a match. Alsobuy a latex addi t ive to

mix in to the new grou t tomake i t more durable. Mix the

g r o u t s l i g h t l y t h i c k e r t h a npeanut butter and then apply it(Photo 2). Let the grout set upfor approximately 20 minutesunt i l a f i lm develops over the

tile, then clean the area as shownin Photos 3 and 4. After the grout

has dried for a week, protect it with agrout sealer.

kit that attaches to a Dremel tool. (The entire setup thatincludes a two-speed Dremel tool sells for 550 at homecenters; see photo at right). lt has a high-speed carbidebit that effortlessly chews away old grout and guidesthat keep you from chipping the ti le edges. Make sure towear safety glasses while grinding. Remove the grout with theDremel tool,then use the grout saw to scrape out edgesand corners and to clean out the joints (Photo 1).

Vacuum up any dust or debris left after the grinding process.Take a chunk of your current grout to a home center or t i le shop

I nttach the removat unit and set the bit depth to tl4 in.I Run the tool guides between the tites and grind through

the old grout. Ctean joints with a grout saw.

Wipe the excess grout and film off the face of the tile witha damp sponge, rinsing it often.

GROUT REMOVALATTACHMENT

Using a grout float, push the grout diagonalty across andinto the vacant joints.

When the film reappears, buff the entire area with adry ctoth.

rFr'rnn-txi.*ll

U S E A L U M I N U M F O R O U I C K W A L L R E P A I R S ; R E G R O U T B A T H R O O M W A L L T I L E 59

Page 62: 207 Money Saving Fixes

rCRACKFILLER

#n senr *n{ wm * fi rrynt*rp nomfq* F"sT o s o l v e p r o b l e m s w i t h d a m pbasements, start with the easiest,l e a s t e x p e n s i v e f i x e s f i r s t , l i k egrad ing the so i l away f rom thehouse and add ing ex tens ions tothe downspouts to channel wateraway f rom the basement . Thenapp ly a waterproo f ing pa in t tot h e w a l l s . T h e w a l l s n e e d t o b eclean, bare, dry and free of efflores-cence. l f they're already painted,you ' l l need to s t r ip o f f the o ldpaint before applying the water-proofing paint.

To prep the bare walls, start byscraping of f d i r t , dust and loosemortar with a wire brush. lf efflo-rescence (a whi te, powdery sub-stance) is present, wash it off withan etching solut ion (Photo 1).

Then fi l l in any holes and cracksin the walls, and any gaps betweent h e w a l l a n d t h e f l o o r , w i t h acement-patching product (Photo 2).

Nex t , app ly the f i rs t coa t o fthe waterproofing paint in temper-atures above 50 degrees F, using apa in tb rush (Photo 3) . The pa in ti s d e s i g n e d t o g o o n t h i c k , n o tspread th in l i ke house pa in t (sod o n ' t u s e a r o l l e r o n t h e f i r s tcoat ) . Once the f i rs t coa t d r ies ,apply a second coat with a 3/8- to1/2-in.-nap roller.Two of these top-coats are needed to ef fect ivelyblock water.

T w o c o m p a n i e s t h a t m a k ewaterproof ing paints are Uni tedGi lsoni te Laborator ies (570-344-1202, ugl .com) and Zinsser (732-469-8100, zi n sser.com).

I Remove dirt, loose mortarI and efflorescence from the

watls so the waterproofing paintcan form a solid bond.

tf w.t the area around holes3 and cracks with water, thenappty a patch with a trowet.

Q ut" a 4-in. general-purposed paintbrush to appty the firstcoat of waterproofing paint fast.

Nail (and screw) pops usually occur in

new cons t ruc t i on a f t e r abou t s i x

months, when new studs and other

framing members have had a chance

to dry . As the s tuds dry , they shr ink

sl ightly and push the drywall nai ls or

screws back out through the face of the

drywall .The movement is sl ight, less

than 1/32 in. But thatt enough to leave

a noticeable bump in a nicely painted

flat wall , or even pop off the drywa[l

compound that covered the fastener.

Nai l pops a lso can occur i f a wal l

exper iences wide swings in re la t ive

humid i ty over the course of severa lyears. Studs swell slightly when the rel-

ative humidity is high for a prolonged

period and shrink when i t drops again.

This repeated pattern can gradually

back a drywall nail or even a screw out

of the wood.

To fix the problem, scrape the dry-

wall compound off one of the fasteners

to make sure it's a nail. lf so, drive a new

drywall screw into the stud about 2 in.

away, then pul l the nai l . Screws resist

withdrawal much better than nails. Use

screws that penetrate the wood no

more than 314 in. Longer screws (and

na i l s ) a re more l i ke l y t o pop t han

shorter ones. Do this at all spots withpops .Then f i l l t he ho les w i t h com-pound and repaint the wall .

WATERPROOFINGPAINT

CEMENTPATCH

6(D WALLS & FLooRS

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FixsqUeary

fl oors 7

From-down-under fixlf you can get at the squeaky floor from underneath (usually an

unfinished basement or crawlspace), the Squeak-Relief Wood

Floor Repair kit is one way to go. Have someone walk back and

forth to activate the squeak while you prowl around downstairsready to home in on it. l t ' l l most l ikely be a nail rubbing on a sub-

floor that wasn't glued down to the joist.The gap is what allows

the subfloor to move independently of the framing. Using the

special nail that's included in the kit, tack the bracket to the side

of the joist with the top against the bottom of the subfloor.Thenrun the long screw into the joist and the short screw into the

subfloor. Order a package of four (item No. 1 05064) for 51 5.

lmprovements catalog, (800) 634-9484.i mprovementscatalog.com.

From-the-top fixlf you can' t get at a f loor squeak from underneath, a good

s o l u t i o n i s t h e S q u e e e e e k N o M o r e k i t ( i t e m N o . 1 1 0 1 8 9 )

designed to send a snap-off screw right through the carpet-w i thout unrave l ing the f ibers . The k i t comes w i th a screw

designed to help you find the joist under the squeak.Then you

run a specially scored screw through the middle of the depth

control j ig, which stops the screw at the right distance from the

floor. Use a recess on one of the wings on the jig to snap off the

screw just below the floor surface. For 530, you get the jig, thejoist-f inding screw and 50 of the scored screws, enough to fix all

the floors in a haunted mansion.

lmprovements catalog, (800) 634-9484.improvementscatalog.com.

BASEMENT WALL WATERPROOFERS; F IX NAIL POPS IN DRYWALL; F IX SOUEAKY FLOORS 61

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Cosmet ic f ixfor carpetTo f i x a runn ing snag i n ca rpe t w i t h

woven loops, you'll need scissors, a small

screwdriver and carpet seam adhesive.

First, cut out the snagged yarn (Photo 1).

Then run masking tape along both sides

ofthe snag and carefully squeeze a heavy

bead o f adhes i ve i n to t he run . Use a

screwdriver to press each "scab"-spots

where the original adhesive cl ings to the

yarn-into the adhesive (Photo 2, below).

Remove tough stainsfrom vinyl f looringSheet vinyl"resilient"flooring is so easy to clean that it may never requireanything beyond damp mopping with a c leaner intended for v inylfloors. But if your floor has marks or stains that still won't come off, you

can use stronger stuff.Although the methods described here won't harmmost vinyl floors, test them in a closet or on a section of flooring that'shidden by furniture. Use white rags only; chemicals that dissolve stainscan also make fabric colors bleed and stain your floor.

lsopropyl alcohol (rubbing

alcohol), sold as a disinfectantat drugstores (S4), is a mild sol-vent. lt 's the best cleaner forheel marks and works on othertough stains too. You can alsou s e l i g h t e r f l u i d o r m i n e r a ls p i r i t s . R e m e m b e r t h a t a l lthese products are flammable;turn off any nearby pilot lightsa n d h a n g r a g s o u t t o d r ybefore throwing them away.

B leach w i l l o f ten erasestains left by l iquids l ike fruitjuices, tomato sauce and wine. Mix one part household bleach with fourparts water, soak a rag in it and lay the rag over the stain. Bleach workslowly; you may have to leavethe rag in place for an hour or so.

Oxalic acid is the solutionfor stubborn rust stains. l t 'soften labeled "wood bleach"-but not all wood bleach con-tains oxalic acid, so check thelabel . Most paint stores andsome hardware stores carryoxa l i c ac id (57) . l f the s ta inwon't rub off,wet a rag with theacid solution and lay it over thestain for 10 minutes. lf the stainremains , rewet the rag andrepeat. When that's done, rinsethe floor with clean water.

tl oampen a white rag with isopropytI atcohot and rub away heel marks.

] Uir oxatic acid powder with3 water and dab rust stains toremoye them. Protect your hands withrubber gloves and open a window forventilation.

Restore dented carpetOld furniture depressions in car-pets can be real ly ugly. Lay awet, wrung-out towel over thecarpet"dent"and iron with a hotclothes iron for about a minute.The steam will release crushedf ibers and make them pl iable.Lift the towel, hand-fluff and nomore mark!

62 WALLS & FLooRS

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Fix loose seamsinvi nyl fl oors

I f you have an open seam in your v inyl

I floor, don't procrastinate. Foot traffic canI wreck the vinyl's exposed edges, making a

good-looking repair impossible. Worse, watercan seep into the opening,leading to subfloordamage. Start by inspecting the seam. Pressthe loose edges down to make sure they'll stilljoin to form a tight seam.

lf the seam closes neatly, you can make anear ly invis ib le repair using "mult ipurpose"vinyl adhesive (55) and a seam sealing kit (S12).

Vacuum out any grit under the vinyl-even atiny grain of sand can create a pim-ple on the vinyl's surface. Curlthe vinyl back as you vac-uum, but be carefuln o t t o k i n ko r c r a c k

BENT PUTTY KNIFE€

i t . l f the v inyl istoo stiffto bend,soften

it with heat from a hair dryer.You can leave most of the old adhesive alone,but scrape away loose spots.A putty knife bentin a vise makes a good scraper.lt's also a handyadhesive applicator (Photo 1).After you spreadthe adhesive, rub down the seam with a blockof wood. Use a wet rag to wipe away any adhe-sive that squeezes out of the joint.Then lay waxpaper over the seam,followed by a scrap of ply-wood. Weigh down the plywood with stacks ofbooks or buckets of water. Leave the weights inplace for at least 10 hours.Then apply thg seamsealant (Photo 2). Sealant is available in gloss

and satin versions to match your floor's sheen.lf the edges are damaged orthe seam won't

close neatly,the best repair is a metaltransitionstrip (Photo 3) that completely hides the seam.Transition strips (S5 to 515) are available athome centers and hardware stores in variousstyles, lengths and finishes.

CARPET F IXES; REMOVE STAINS FROM VINYL

I Protect the floor with masking tape and appty an even coat of adhesive. ThenI tay wax paper over the seam and press it down with a board and weights

overnight.

1 nppty a bead of seam sealant over the seam. Hotd a straightedge about3 yf in. away from the seam to guide the appticator nozzle, but don't get

sealant on the straightedge.

Use a metal transition strip to cover a seam that has damaged edges. Cut thestrip to length with a hacksaw, then nail or screw it into ptace.

FLOORING; RESTORE DENTED CARPET; F IX LOOSE SEAMS IN V INYL FLOORING 63

Page 66: 207 Money Saving Fixes

Remove candlewax from carpetinglf candle wax spil ls onto your carpet,don' t worry. l t ' l l come out. Let thewax harden, and af terward fol lowthe steps shown in Photos 1 and 2 fora successful c leanup. Note: Not al lc a n d l e s t a i n s w i l l c o m e o u t c o m -p l e t e l y . S o m e s p i l l s m a y r e q u i r eprofessional cleaning.

{ Scrape up the hardened wax. UseI a ptastic knife to avoid damag-

ing the carpet fibers. Be patient;only about two-thirds of the wax willcome out with this first step.

THREE LAYERS OFPAPER TOWELS

TO ABSORB WAX

I atot out the remaining wax.G Appty three layers of plainwhite paper towels. Warm an iron atits lowest heat setting. Move theiron continually over the towels tosoften the wax and absorb it intothe towets. For the best results,repeat this step several times withfresh layers of toweling. To avoidscorching the carpet, keep the ironmoving over the stain and placeadditional layers of towels aroundthe stain area so that the iron neverdirectly touches the carpet.

St i f fen a bouncy f loorlf the china cabinet in the next room rattles as you walk across the floor,try stiffening the floor with inexpensive metal braces called "bridging."Bridging allows each joist to share weight with its neighbors and can cut"def lect ion"-how much the jo ists f lex-by hal f . Even i f your f looralready has a row of bridging running down the center, you can stiffen itsubstantially by adding two more rows.The catch, of course, is that thebouncy floor joists must be accessible from below.

Start by making sure-the original bridging is t ightly fastened; addnails or screws if necessary.Then measure the span of the joists (the dis-tance between walls or beams that support the joists). Divide the spanby three and add rows of bridging at both of the one-third points.Thejoists shown here, for example, span 12 ft., so rows of bridging wereadded 4 ft.from both ends ofthe span.

Various types of metal bridging are available at home centers andlumberyards.To install the type shown here, drive the toothed end intothe joist and nail the other end. Adding two rows of bridging costs lessthan S1.50 per joist. Other versions are just as easy to install and inex-pensive. Measure the joist spacing before you go shopping; bridging issized for joists centered 16 in. or 24 in. apart. Don't add bridging to man-ufactured lumber l ike l-joists or truss joists unti l you consult an engineeror building inspector.

64 WALLS & FLooRS

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wi ndowsdoors

Bring t j red- looking windowsback to l ife

Easy-to-i nsta[[ wj ndowsi [[sWindow crank replacement

Louvered gLass window fixes

C[ean tough glass stainsStop door rattle

Adjust a sticking bifotd door

Trim a door that binds on carpet

Repair spt i t t r imFix a loose door handte

Si[ence a squea[ ing hingeFix a Loose hinge

67

68

69

7A

7 1

72

'13

66

74 2 fixes for door latches

75 Instat[ a storm door

78 Fix a st icking s[ iding door

79 Free a sticking storm door

80 Cures for sticking doors

83 Fix a dented steel door

84 Replace a torn screen

85 Adjust a storm doorMask pet claw scratches

. t5 ' - .

Page 68: 207 Money Saving Fixes

Brinetfed-lookl ngo'

Wl nOOWS backto lifeood windows wi th a natura l f in ish on

t h e i n s i d e l o o k g r e a t w h e n t h e y ' r e

new, but moisture, temperature swings

and harsh sunl ight eventua l ly make the varn ish fade

and f lake away, espec ia l ly a long the bot tom of the

window sash and on the s i l l . l t looks l ike an in t imidat -

ing job, but usual ly the on ly par t o f the window that

needs work is along the bottom-the rest of the sash

and t r im can jus t be l ight ly sanded and recoated.

The f i rs t s tep is to match the s ta in and f in ish.The

easiest way to do this is to take a piece of the tr im to a

paint store to have i t matched (Photo 1).

Scrape any worn varnish off (Photo 2), then sand

wi th 1 20- or 150-gr i t sandpaper . In par t ia l ly damaged

areas, feather the sanding in to the undamaged areas,

then l ightly sand the rest of the piece to prepare i t for

a new f in ish (Photo 3) . You don ' t need to sand and

recoat the entire window if only a few pieces need

it- just stop at an edge or corner.

Stain the wood (Photo 4) and apply two coats of

outdoor-grade f in ish. l f the g loss doesn ' t match the

older varnish, buff i t l ight ly with extra-f ine steel wool

or a sanding pad to du l l i t . 1Carefully remove the wood cover over the casement operator (or otherpiece of trim) and use it to match the stain.

] Use a sharp scraper to remove old6tinistt . Putl the scraper smoothtyand carefully to avoid gouging the wood.

66 WINDOWS & DOORS

Q sana side pieces heavity in worn-J out areas and tightty elsewhere.Stop at edges or corners next to undam-aged wood.

A n a stain into the sanded sectionst of the window. Wipe off quickty,then appty more as needed to darkenthe color.

Page 69: 207 Money Saving Fixes

Easy-to-i n sta I I wi ndowsi I lsWindows in new homes are often left without trim. Instead, the wholeopening is covered in drywall,then taped and painted.lt 's a design trendintended to save on construction costs.The problem is that it leaves therecessed windowsil ls vulnerable to moisture (from condensation andpotted plants) and scratches, dents and stains from objects that are setthere. Sil l-Ritet new vinyl windowsil ls protect the sil l from moisture anddamage while offering a stylish accent to the window. Prices start at 525.

The maintenance-free sil ls are prefinished in white (they don't need

to be painted, but can be if you'd l ike a certain color) and sized for

s tandard w indow open ings . D i rec t ions fo r measur ing the s i l l s izeand de ta i led ins ta l la t ioninstruct ions are includedo n t h e c o m p a n y ' s W e bsite. Dealers are also l istedonl ine.Sill-Rite, (800) 503-2334.sil l-rite.com

Window crank replacementA disadvantage of the opener cranks on casement windowsis that they jut out into the room and prevent miniblindsfrom hanging freely down to the windowsil l. Take about10 minu tes and rep lace those s tandard hand les w i thlow-profile T-handles, available at most hardware stores andhome centers. Or order them from Prime-Line Products(909-880-8968; pri me-l ine-products.com).

To remove a standard handle,loosen the small setscrew(Photo 1) on the underside. Before shopping for a replace-ment, check the window brand. Window manufacturersmake unique operator shaft sizes that won't fit other compa-nies'window handles.

For about 54, you should be able to buy stock replace-ment kits (containing two T-handles) that match your win-dow brand.

Or, if you can't match your window brand, buy a generic

replacement kit (about 57)that has twoT-crank handles andup to 10 adapters (Photo 2) that f it most window brands.Slipon the adapter that fits over the operator shaft, slide theT-handle on the adapter and tighten the setscrew (Photo 3).

T-handles don't have the same easy opening action asstandard handles and may be diff icult for kids and somefolks with arthritis to operate.

{ nemove existing standardI casement window handtes by

toosening the setscrew with asmatl straight-bl,ade screwdriver.

J S.t".t the T-handte adapter that3 fits tightty over the shaft ofyour window opener. A generic reptace-ment handle kit comes with muttipteadapters sure to fit your opene/sparticular shaft profile and size.

Q tntt.tt the T-crank handte andJ tighten the setscrew.Open thewindow by turning the handle counter-clockwise. With the T-crank handle,window miniblinds wi[[ hang freelyall the way to the windowsill.

B R I N G T I R E D - L O O K I N G W I N D O W S B A C K T O L I F E ; E A S Y - T O - I N S T A L L W I N D O W S I L L S ; W I N D O W C R A N K R E P L A C E M E N T 6 7

Page 70: 207 Money Saving Fixes

Louvered glasswindow fixes

I Replace broken glassPutting in a new piece of louvered fialousie) window glass is aneasy, straightforward fix. However, because the glass is thickerthan standard glass and has polished edges, it usually has to bespecial-ordered (S20 to 525 per pane, from glass companies orhardware stores). Bring exact glass dimensions and a chunk ofthe broken glass to get the right thickness.

Hotd the glass in place and carefully stide the metal wedgeout of the way so the glass wi[[ stip out.

Remove the setscrews in the metal housing at each end of theglass,then take out the metalwedges that hold the glass (Photo1). Hold on to the setscrews-they disappear instantly if dropped.Carefully pullthe broken glass out when the wedges are out.

Clean any dirt and corrosion out of the metal housing at theends,then slide in the new glass (Photo 2).

Set the new glass into place, push the wedges back in, thenlock them into place with the setscrews.1

a Install a newA window operatorLouvered window operators can fail because of worn-out gears,cor-rosion or lack of lubrication. First try cleaning and applying siliconelubricant to all the moving parts.lf that doesn't help,the only fix isto replace the operators. Louvered windows and doors are no longerbeing made, but replacement hardware for most types is stillavailable, either at hardware stores or on the Internet.Try BlaineWindow (800-678-'19'19; blainewindow.com) or Swisco (swisco.com).

For easier access, first take out the glass pane by the brokenoperator. Remove the screws that hold the operator in place,then disengage the stay bar (the bar that controls the windowmovement) and the operator arm (Photo 1).

Fit the new operator back into place, reattach it to the stay bar(Photo 2) and put the glass pane back in.

To keep the window working smoothly, periodically clean outdirt and debris from the track and pivots with compressed air ora vacuum and spray all moving parts with sil icone lubricant.

6A WINDoWS & DooRs

{ Push theI stay bar

pivot pin outof the operatorarm by pushinga screwdriverthrough the holein the stay bar.

'l euide the3 pivot pinback into thenew operatorarm, then screwthe operator tothe frame.

Page 71: 207 Money Saving Fixes

i -E*r*sr €{pr$#h #Em**. str**msWindow manufacturers recommend abrasive cleaners for thetoughest g lass s ta ins . App ly a mi ld abras ive such as Sof tScrub, Bar Keepers Friend or Bon Ami to a soft rag and scrub.These products usual ly won' t scratch glass, but start in asmal l , inconspicuous spot just to make sure. l f e lbow grease

a l o n e w o n ' t d o t h e t r i c k , o r i f y o u h a v e l a r g e a r e a s t o

cove r , use a d r i l l and sma l l bu f f i ng whee l (Pho to 1 ;56 a t

home centers) .You can use a s imi lar method on g lass shower

doors (Photo 2) . An e lect r ic buf fer ($30) works fas t on the

large surface.

dff Scrub away the toughest stains on gtass with a buffingfi wheel and mild abrasive. When you're working near the

sash, protect it with masking tape.

*g Remove shower doors and lay them ftat. Buff the glass.d." with an electric buffer and mitd abrasive.

Stop door ratt le

A closed door that rattles as you walkdown the hall is easy to fix. Remove thestrike plate and bend the tab forwardslightly.You may need two pairs of pliersor even a vise to bend a heavy-gaugetab. Screw the str ike plate back intoplace, check for rattles and try again ifnecessary. When you get i t r ight , thebent tab holds the door tightly againstthe doorstop molding and el iminatesthe rattle.

L O U V E R E D G L A S S W I N D O W F I X E S ; C L E A N T O U G H G L A S S S T A I N S ; S T O P D O O R R A T T L E

Page 72: 207 Money Saving Fixes

Adlst a sticki ngblfold door

re you f rus t ra ted w i th a b i fo ld door tha t doesn ' t c lose. ; i ir,...;, smoothly, or never opens without sticking, scraping or bind-

' i l l i ' . ing? Chances are it 's out of alignment in the door frame.Thefix is usually simple and often takes less than 10 minutes.

First c lose the door and look along the edge of the door as i t l inesup with the frame (photo at left).The door edge and frame should l ineup nice and parallel. Even if i t 's off by only 1/4 in.,the door wil l probablybind. Most of ten the problem is a loosened top pivot and bracket,which allowed the door to slip sideways out of alignment (Photo 1).Open the door and then loosen the setscrew for the top bracketslightly with a screwdriver.Then close it again. Push or pull the top ofthe closed door to align its edge parallel to the frame. Close the door tocheck for smooth operation and to see how the doors meet. Open thedoor gently so the pivot doesn't sl ip, then tighten the setscrew. Youmay have to repeat these steps a few times with both doors to get the"perfect" result.

lf the door binds against the lower part of the frame, check the bot-tom pivot and bracket next.The bottom pivot often loosens and slips.Either raise the door slightly to shift the pivot in or out, or loosen thesetscrew and shift the bracket seat (Photo 2), depending on the type ofhardware you have. Somet imes the en t i re b racket comes loosebecause the mounting screws are stripped, broken or missing. Removethe door to fix these.Test the door for smooth, non-binding operationby opening and closing it several t imes. You may have to readjust thetop pivot bracket to make the door parallel to the frame again.

Make sure that the top rol ler guide runs smoothly in the t rack.Apply a l ight coating of wax or sil icone spray to eliminate any sticking.

) fighten a loose bottom bracket with l-7/2-in. screws6 driven through the drywalt into the framing. Avoid screwingthrough the carpeting if possible.

{ toosen the top pivot bracket setscrew with a screwdriver.I StiOe the bracket in the track until the door is parattet to

the jamb. Tighten the setscrew firmty.

70 WINDoWS & DooRS

Page 73: 207 Money Saving Fixes

Tri madoorthatblnds on carpet

. 'r:',. ew carpet can cause the bot-

' I ' tom of a bifold door to scrape'

and bind along the floor. Firsttry to raise the door to clear the carpetusing the bottom pivot bracket (seePhoto 2, p.7 0).Usua I ly, however, you haveto trim off the door bottom.

Measure the bifold door for cuttingwith the door slightly opened.A half inchof clearance is adequate (Photo 1).

R e m o v i n g a b i f o l d d o o r d o e s n ' talways go as smoothly as Photo 2 shows.Sometimes the top pivot doesn't com-press enough to free the bottom pivot.Turn the bottom pivot height adjustmentto lower it, if possible. Or gently lift thedoor off the lower bracket with a flat prybar. As a last resort, loosen the top pivotbracket setscrew and slide the top awayfrom the door frame.

To replace the door, follow the stepsin Photo 2 in reverse order. Check forproper alignment.

Lay the door face down on a work-table. Cut from the back side of the doorto leave a clean cut on the front. You canreduce spl inter ing by f i rst scor ing thecutting l ine (Photo 3) and, using a guide,

sawing slightly to the outside of the cut-ting l ine (Photo 4). Bevel the cut edgeswith 100-grit sandpaper (Photo 5).

Cutting the door wil l shorten the bot-tom pivot hole.You may have to redrilltodeepen it.

Extend the bottom pivot the sameamount as the door was shortened, usingthe height adjustment screw.

I Ueasure up 712 in. from the highestI point on the new carpeting and mark

the door.

/l Ctamp a cutting guide to the door,r! mount a crosscut-type btade in yoursaw and cut slightly to the outside ofthe line.

) rit the door to compress the top6 pivot spring (1). Swing the doorbottom out from the bottom bracket(2). Putl the door down and out of thetop pivot bracket.

Q uart the cutting line on theJ back side of the door and thenscore the tine with a utitity knife toreduce splintering.

( rnoct the sharp edges off the freshJ cut with sandpaper. Add a coat ofsealer to the raw edge to preventswelling. Remount the door.

A D J U S T A S T I C K I N G B I F O L D D O O R ; T R I M A D O O R T H A T B I N D S O N C A R P E T 7 l

Page 74: 207 Money Saving Fixes

l f you neglect to predr i l l the na i l ho les in woodmold ings or i f you na i l too near the i r ends, you

could sp l i t them. Rather than rep lac ing the t r imor taking i t down for repair, use the f ix shown in

Photos 1 and 2 to repai r i t in p lace.To ensure aproper g lue bond, leave the spr ing c lamp on themold ing overn ight .

PIECE OF SANDPAPERTO APPLY GLUE

SPLIT INWOOD CASING

'i Insert a thin appticator (tike sand-paper) smeared with wood gtue deep into

the wood crack. Don't move the nail thatcaused the split. Instead, use it to wedge thecrack open so you can apply glue deep insidethe crack.

. Apply a spring clamp across the top of the molding once the nail is: , pulled. Using a damp cloth, wipe off alt excess wet gtue. 0nce the

glue has dried, dritt a 3/32-in. hole next to the originaI naiI hole, insta[1an 8d finish nail and set the nail head. If a gap remains in the tip of thesplit molding (at the top of the miter joint), drill a t/76-in. hole on theside of that molding and carefulty drive a f -in.-tong brad-size nail toclose the gap.

F ix a loosedoor handleOver t ime , doo r hand les l oosenand become d i f f icu l t to turn andu n l a t c h . M o s t d o o r h a r d w a r e

made today uses exposed screws,

accessible from the "room side" oft h e d o o r , t o c o n n e c t t h e t w ohalves of the handle to each s ideo f t h e d o o r . B u t s o m e c u r r e n t

b r a n d s ( a n d m o s t o l d e r d o o rh a r d w a r e ) u s e h i d d e n c h a s s i s

s c r e w s ( P h o t o 2 ) , a s e t u p t h a trequi res you to take the doorknob

and rose ( cove r p l a te ) apa r t t ot ighten the screws. Photos 1 and 2show you how.

The doo r ha rdware shown i sfa i r l y t yp i ca l , bu t you may have

someth ing other than a but ton tore lease the knob. A lso, some doorroses unscrew from the chassis byh a n d ( t u r n t h e m c o u n t e r c l o c k -

wise) ra ther than snap onto i t .

I Remoue the inside door-I knob by locating the

button (t ike the model shown),metal tab or wire clip on theside of the knob that acts as arelease. Using an awl or sma[[screwdriver, push the button inal l the way-and at the sametime-pul l off the handle.Remove the door rose byinserting a sma[[ screwdriverinto the small notch in therose and twisting the toot topop it off. Be carefut so youdon't chip any door paint.

] rignten the door hardware&AV opening the door ,squeezing both sides of theassembty together and t ighten-ing the two screws on thechassis. To reassemble, snapthe rose back on the chassis,depress the release buttonand st ide the knob back onunti l the button pops throughthe hole.

RELEASE NOTGH IN "ROSE"{COVER PLATE}

7 2 w r N D o w s & D o o R S

Page 75: 207 Money Saving Fixes

Silence asqueal ing hingel f y o u ' v e g o t a d o o r h i n g e t h a t

squea ls every t ime you open thedoor, try this fix with petroleum jelly.

The petroleum jel ly works i ts wayinto the hinge and adheres well, so itwon't run off and make a mess l ikeoil or other lubricants.' P h o t o s 1 a n d 2 s h o w h o w t opunch out a hinge pin and grease itup. Af ter al l the hinges have beenlubricated, open and close the door afbw t imes to work the pe t ro leumjelly into the hinge joints.

{ toosen each hinge pin by tap-I ping an 8d nail up from under-

neath. Once the pin is loose, pult itout (tift up on the door handle torelieve pressure if the pin binds).Keep the door closed and work ononly one hinge at a time.

J Liglttty coat the hinge pin with- petroteum jetty and dab a tittlein the top of the pin stot. Reinsertthe pin and wipe off any excess.

F ix a loose hingeOver time, many doors get heavy use, causing the hinge screws to strip out and the

hinges to loosen. Once this happens, the door ceases to swing smoothly and may

require l ift ing and pushing to get it closed because of the binding hinge.lf you get

teed off at a door hinge that frequently comes loose because the screws don't hold

anymore,grab a hammer, knife,wood glue and your golf bag for a quickfix.

Completely remove the loose hinge from the door and frame. Remove only one

hinge at a time so you don't have to take the door down. (lf you have several hinges

with stripped screws, however, you may want to remove the entire door.) Locate

the stripped screw holes and repair with golf tees as shown in Photos 1 and 2. Once

the hole is plugged, reattach the hinge and screws. Screwing through the golf tee

will cause it to expand and tighten the hinge even more, restoring your doors toproper working condition.

{ Unscrew theI loose hinge.

Squirt wood glueon a golf tee andtap it into thestripped hoteuntil tight. Letthe gtue dry foran hour.

tl cut the3 golf teeftush with thedoor frame usinga sharp utitityknife, then screwthe hinge back inplace.

R E P A I R S P L I T T R I M ; F I X A L O O S E D O O R H A N D L E ; S I L E N C E A S O U E A L I N G H I N G E ; F I X A L O O S E H I N G E 7 3

Page 76: 207 Money Saving Fixes

2 fixes for door latches1 . Fix a door latch that won't catchWhen a door latch won't catch, it 's because the latch doesn't align with thehole in the str ike plate. Sometimes you can clear ly see the misal ignment. l fnot, do the"lipstick test" (Photo 1).

Tighten the hinges first. lf you find that the latch contacts the strikeplate too high or too low, make sure all the door's hinge screws are tight,lfthat doesn't solve the problem, try this trick: Remove one of the screws onthe jamb side of the hinge and dr ive in a 3- in.screw.The long screw wi l lgrab the wal l f raming and draw in the whole door jamb sl ight ly.To raise thelatch, do this at the top hinge.To lower the latch, do it at the bottom hinge.

Enlarge the strike plate hole.lf long screws don't solve the too-high ortoo-low problem, measure the misalignment of the l ipstick marks on thestrike plate.lf the latch misses the strike plate hole by 1/8 in.or less, removethe strike plate and enlarge its hole with a fi le (Photo 2). A half-round fi le(56 at home centers and hardware stores) matches the curve of the latch hole.

Move the strike plate. lf the latch contacts the strike plate at the correctlevel but doesn't go in far enough, or if the latch strikes more than 1/8 in.too high ortoo low,you'l l have to reposition the strike plate.You can moveit up or down and in or out. Use a sharp chisel to enlarge the strike platemort ise (Photo 3).Then hold the str ike plate in place and dr i l l new 1/16- in.holes for the screws.Install the strike plate and fi l l the gap in the mortisewith wood fi l ler. Remove the strike plate to paint or f inish the patch.

I Smear lipstick on theI latch and stick mask-

ing tape to the strikeplate. Close the door to

determine where the latchcontacts the plate.

) nemove the strike plate, place it in a vise and- enlarge the hole with a file. You may atso have toenlarge the hote in the doorjamb.

2.Fix a door str ike plateYou shut the door. lt doesn't latch, or you have to l ift thehandle to get it to latch.This door problem is getting onyour nerves-why not spend five minutes to fix it? Firstt ry t ightening the screws in both the handle and thestrike plate.lf the door sti l l doesn't catch,grab a flashlightand study the way the door latch (the flexing part oper-ated by the door handle) hits the strike plate. lf the latchwon't spring into the strike plate, observe whether it hitsthe plate at the top or bottom.lf the latch seems properlycentered on the plate, perhaps it 's sticking on either thefront or the back edge of the plate. When you discoverwhere the latch is getting hung up,fi le that edge.

gG

il

Q uart the new position of the strike ptate andrJ enlarge the mortise with a chiset. You may alsohave to enlarge the latch hole in the jamb.

Insert either a triangutar fite or a ftat fite that's small enough to fitinside the strike plate. File off enough metal to allow the latch to catchinside the plate and secure the door. If your filing action is shaking thestrike plate, remove the plate and secure it in a vise for your repair.Then reinstatt the plate with longer screws.

7 4 W I N D o W S & D o o R S

Page 77: 207 Money Saving Fixes

Install astorm d00r

I n s t a l l i n g a n e w s t o r m d o o r i s a n o - l o s e

E proposi t ion. l t ' l l keep your house warmer in--ff if;I the winter, breezier and bug-free in the sum-

Esi l mer and, wi th a good keyed lock, a l i t t le morerrrE iF secure a l l year round.r1ltl

LJru Avoid hassles by takingff i accuratemeasurementsEEffi Before heading to a home center or lumberyardE*.{g:

f f i to buy your storm door, measure careful ly andlh{d '*}..FS rv vv/

ff i** ..::: -. -::-*-i:.$* make a sketch that includes these

.,sg1:- 5; three crucial e lements:f,t""ffi "'T;:TJls width.Measure the

t:: j

'".r'li

,.\!

d i s t ance (Pho to 1 ,p .76 ) f r om i ns ide

e d g e t o i n s i d e e d g e o f t h e e n t r y

door's brick mold (the exterior mold-

i ng t ha t t he s i d i ng , s tucco o r b r i ck

bu t t s t o ) . Measu re i n t h ree p laces :

top, midd le and bot tom.

Opening he ight . Measure the

open ing f r om the bo t t om edge o f

t h e t o p b r i c k m o l d t o t h e t o p o f

t he t h resho ld .

Door swing.You want your main

door and s torm door to be h inged on the same

side, Most s torm doors are "ambidext rous" ; you

can eas i ly modi fy the door to swing le f t or r ight .

The l ion 's share o f main ent ryway doors are

6 f t . 8 i n . t a l l , and 36 o r 32 i n . w ide , t hough 30 - and

34- in . doors a lso ex is t . Jot down your main door

d i m e n s i o n s t o o , s i n c e m a n y s t o r m d o o r s a r e

labeled and so ld accord ing to your main door 's

s ize. But remember that the key measurements

are those on your sketch.

B r i ng you r no tes and a t ape measu re t o t he

home center to make sure you buy a s torm door

w i t h t he co r rec t sw ing and d imens ions . l t s w id th

m u s t f i t t h e s m a l l e s t o f t h e t h r e e h o r i z o n t a l

. a

t lp Heat bui ldup between storm and

entry doors can cause warPing and

other problems wi th south- and

west-facing entry doors. Give heat

an escape by s l ight ly ra is ing the

bottom expander, or the glass pane

on sel f -stor inq uni ts.

2 F I X E S F O R D O O R L A T C H E S ; I N S T A L L A S T O R M D O O R

Page 78: 207 Money Saving Fixes

Most stores carry a wide select ion of storm doors in whi te, Photos 1 - 10 wi l l guide you through the main steps inbrown and, often, green, ranging in price from 540 to 5400 and install ing a storm door.Also keep in mind:more. lf you need to order a custom color, design or size (and the :r Before install ing the storm door, paint the brick mold. Thatolder your home is, the more l ikely you'l l need to do so) double- wil l provide a clean, well-protected frame for your door to fit intocheck the swing and dimensions on the order slip to make sure and save you the hassle of masking it off and painting aroundeverything j ibes. it later.

m e a s u r e m e n t s y o u t o o k . M o s t d o o r s h a v e a b o t t o m e x -pander s t r ip that can be ad justed 1 to 2 in . to accommodate

variat ions in height.

Door and hardwareinstal lat ion t ipsStorm doors can be installed using a dri l l , afew bits, a hacksaw and basic hand tools. Setaside four to five hours for the project. lt's agreat beginner's project, since most stepsare easily corrected. lf you drive a screw inthe wrong place-and instal l ing the r ightscrew in the right place is your goal here-simply remove it and try again.There are twomistakes, however, that could really botchthe job: cutting the legs of the vertical sidemount ing f rames too short (see Photo 2)

I Measure theI entryway door

opening from thebottom of the brickmold to the top ofthe threshold, thensubtract 1/8 in. todetermine the lengthof the hinge-sidemounting frame. Checkthe entryway dooropening for squareness.

BOTTOM OFBRICK MOLDTO TOP OF

THRESHOLD.

l rV I

Q stla" the sweepJ into the grooveof the expander, thenslide the expanderonto the bottom ofthe door. Pinch thegroove that the sweeprides in with ptiersso the sweep won'tslip sideways.

BEFORE MOVING TOTHE NEXT STEP, position the stormdoor in the opening and shift it as far as you can to the hingeside.Temporarily position the latch-side frame leg in place tosee if the door, once permanently installed, will be centered inthe opening. lf necessary, add shims or thin strips of woodalong the hinge side until the door is centered. Alsq tem-porarily position the top mounting frame and make surethere's enough room for it to fit without contacting the top ofthe door.This all goes a lot easier with a helper.

and instal l ing the storm door hardware so i t col l ides with your

main door's hardware (see Photo 7). Double-check before cutt ing

and dr i l l ing.

' Remove any glass inserts from the door before you begin.The

door wil l be l ighter and you won't r isk breaking the glass.;* i You' l l ini t ial ly mount the door using screws and screw holes

on the face of the storm door's frame. Make

1 o certain to instal l the screws on the inner'sideUp Therearerea l lyon ly two of thef rame, too.They, re theworkhorsesthat

wavs that t " " . : : .1 t : : , -__ keep your door so l id ly and square lyversibly mess up: cuttingthe legs of t fre siOe

" attached. Don't overdrive these screws or

frames too short and you may pull the frame out of whack.instal l ing the hardware so r+ Keep the bottom expander pushed upit col l ides with the hard- during door instal lat ion,then adjust i t down-ware of vout

"i:'I-yil. ward and secure it permanently after all thedoor. Measure carefullv-then measure again.

' frame screws have been instal led.

MEASUREOVERALL

J cut the hinge-i side mountingframe leg to lengthusing a hacksaw.Angle the cut tomatch the slope ofthe threshold.Masking tape allowsyou to more easilymark the length andangle of the cut andprotects the framefrom misdirectedsaw strokes.

,/| Instalt the screws that secure the hinge-side mountingtT frame to the face of the brick mold, then open the stormdoor and drive in the screws that secure it to the side of thebrick mold. Keep checking and rechecking the door for smoothoperation and squareness as you work.

7 6 W I N D o W S & D o o R S

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f, Position the top mounting frame so the gap between it andJ the door is consistent atong the entire length. Use a sharpawl to hold one end in ptace while you're checking. Instatl thescrews to secure it in place.

J Carefutty ptot the position of your storm door latch andI lock so they won't collide with the hardware on theentryway door. This is no place to be rushed. Hotd the stormdoor hardware in position before dritling any holes, thenoperate it so you can see whether any moving parts hit anyentry door hardware.

t ts - ' f f i t]BRACKET

DOORBRACKET

WASHERo

(f Instatt the door closer tube, making sure it remains [eve[.i/ Better doors, like the one shown here, have ctosers for both

top and bottom to ensure a solid closing action and to preventdamage to the door from swinging open beyond 90 degrees.Each manufacturer has its own type of mechanism and mostprovide good installation instructions. Fotlow them.

fi Ur. the old "penny-plus-a dime" trick to establish thetf proper gap between the latch-side mounting frame leg andthe storm doot then instatl the screws that secure this verticalmember in place.

f! oritt the holes for instatling the storm door tatch and [ock.lJ the template used in the previous step allows you to markholes on both sides of the door, so you can dritt hotes from bothsides and prevent damaging or dimpling the thin metal skin ofthe door.

1n Add the finishing touches. Instal,t the snap-on screwI llf cover strips if your door has them. Lower the expander

strip until the sweep contacts the threshold, then secure it inplace with two screws. Install the glass panel and the retainingstrips that hold it in place. Store the separate screen panel upin the garage rafters or in another safe place.

DEPTH GUIDE ISOYOU DONT DRILLiin-ol'6i b6b;il '

I N S T A L L A S T O R M D O O R 7 7

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Fix a sticki nqslldlng ddor

ears of dirt, exposure to the elements and hard use canturn sliding doors into sticking doors, but the problemis usually easy to fix.

Start with a good cleaning. Scrub caked dirt and grime outof the track with a stiff brush and soapy water. lf the door sti l ldoesn't sl ide smoothly, the rollers under the door either needadjusting or replacing.

Locate the two adjusting screws at the bottom of thedoor (on the face or edge of the door) and pry off the trimcaps that cover the screws. lf one side looks lower,raise it unti l the door looks even on thetrack (Photo 1). lf the door sti l l sticks, turn \both screws a quarter turn to raise thewhole door.Then slide the door just short ofthe jamb and be sure the gap is even.

lf the door sti l l doesn't glide smoothly,you'l lh a v e t o r e m o v e t h e d o o r a n d e x a m i n e t h e

rollers. Get help for this-the door is heavy! Unscrew the stopmolding on the inside of the jamb (Photo 2). Be sure to hold thedoor in place once the stop is removed-if you forget and walkaway for a moment, the door wil l fall in, requiring a much biggerrepair ! Ti l t the door back (Photo 3) and set i t on sawhorses.Inspect the rollers for problems. lf they're full of dirt and debris,give them a good cleaning and a few drops of lubricant and see

if they spin freely. However, if the rollers are worn, cracked orbent, remove them (Photo 4) and replace them with a

new pair ($8 to $ 16 a pair).Y o u c a n o r d e r r o l l e r s a n d o t h e r d o o r

p a r t s t h r o u g h l u m b e r y a r d s a n d h o m ecenters o r on l ine (a lcosupp ly .com orblainewindow.com). Look for the doormanufacturer's name on the edge of thedoor or the hardware manufacturer 'sname on the roller.

t' rT

ROLLERS

1Lift or tower the door on the track with a screwdriver orit just enough to clear the track and rolt smoothly.

) n"roue the screws that hotd the stopi molding. Cut the paint or varnish line onthe room side of the stop molding so themolding wilt putt off cleanly.

78 WINDoWS & DooRS

Allen wrench. Raise

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Free a sticking storm doorlf your storm door won't close without a f irm tug-or i t won't

close at al l- i t 's probably rubbing against the frame, wearing off

t he pa in t and g ra t i ng on you r ne rves . Mos t s to rm doo rs a re

mounted on a metal frame that 's screwed to wood molding sur-

rounding the door.When the metal frame on the hinge side of the

door comes loose, or the molding i tself loosens,the door sags and

scrapes against the other side of the frame, usually near the top.

Before you grab your tools, part ly open the door from the out-

s ide and push the door up and down.Watch the h inge s ide of the

doo r f r ame . l f t he mo ld ing moves , secu re i t w i t h ex t ra na i l s

(Photo 1). Start by adding a couple of nai ls near the top of the

wood tr im.Then add nai ls farther down if necessary. Sink the nai l

heads sl ightly with a nai l set, cover the heads with acryl ic caulk

and touch up the mold ing wi th pa in t .

More often than not, i t 's the metal frame that comes loose, not

the wood tr im.To f ix the metal frame, buy a few No. 8 x 1-in. pan

head screws. Stainless steel screws are best. Stick a shim between

the door and the frame (as in Photo 1 ), t ighten the exist ing screws

and dri l l new screw holes through the frame. Press l ightly as you

dri l l the metal;you don't want to dri l l into the wood molding with

the 3/16-in. bit .Then dri l l a 3/32-in. pi lot hole into the wood and

add screws (Photo 2). In most cases, two or three screws added

near the top of the frame wil l do the job.

I Position the door by wedging a shim between theI door and the frame. Predritl and drive 10d galn-

nized finish nails to firmly fasten the molding.

ll oritt n"t3yrc-in.

screw holesthrough themetal frame.Then dritl3/32'in. pitotholes into thewood and drivei n l { o . 8 x l - i n .screws. For aneater [ook,spray-paint thescrew headsfirst.

/t

-/

? nnp the door by the edges and tip it* about a foot into the room. Lift it up andout of the track one edge at a time.

Unscrew and pry out the screws that hold the roller in, then carefulty lever itout with a screwdriver. Ctean or replace the rollers.

SHIM KNOB SIDI:

F I X A S T I C K I N G S L I D I N G D O O R ; F R E E A S T I C K I N G S T O R M D O O R 7 9

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Tips for removing and rehanging doors IHere are some tips that save time and trouble when removing doors: ,\I | f . , ^ . . n | l n + ^ + L ^ | . ^ ^ k ^ ^ I | ^ + - L l ^ i + L ^ r ^ - ^ + L ^ l ^ ^ -I lf you plan to remove the knob and latch, do it before you remove the door.

'G"*1

They're easier to remove when the door is standing upright.I Support the swing end of the door wi th shims. Just s l ip them under the

door; don't force them in tight.The shims keep the swing end from drop-ping as you remove the hinge pins.

I Tap pins up and out of the hinge knuckles with a nail, long screw, bolt orscrewdriver.

I Remove the bottom pin first and the top pin last. Be ready to catch the dooras you remove the top pin.

I Hinge pins can be stubborn, but resist the urge to g ive them a hard whack.Hard blows go off course and dent woodwork.

I lf you find that the hinge knuckles won't slip back together, loosen the

;$ff:,"1;1ff:^:T:x:J5i::';5:'# i,T"1;':::n''' and mesh wi'lh H-

ao WINDOWS &

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iI

T ighten al l the hinge screwsScrews magically work themselves loose over the years. lf your door rubs near thetop or drags on the floor, use a screwdriver, not a dri l l ,to tighten the screws (photoright). With a dri l l , you're more l ikely to overtighten the screw and strip the screwholes or chew up the screw heads. lf you find one that's already stripped, try thesef ixes: Replace str ipped jamb screws with 3- in. screws. These long screws runthrough the jamb and into the framing behind it (bottom photo).lf the screw holeis stripped in a solid door, predril l with a 1/8-in. bit and drive in a screw that's aninch longer than the original. lf you have a hollow-core door, reinforce the screwhole. Dip toothpicks or wood splinters in glue and use them to fi l l the screw hole.Then drive in the original screw.

Adjust a hingeDoor hinges aren't truly adjustable. But by driving a long screw through the jamband into the wall framing, you can draw the hinge and jamb toward the framingand slightly reposition the door (photo right). Before you drive a screw, close thedoor to determine exactly where it rubs against the jamb. lf i t rubs near the top ofthe s ide jamb (which is most common), draw in the upper hinge. l f the door rubs atthe lower s ide jamb or head jamb, draw in the bottom hinge. l f the door rubsall along the side jamb, draw in all the hinges. often, you can move the door up to1/8 in.wi th th is method.

To use this technique, remove a screw near the middle of the hinge (rather thanthe top or bottom screw). Drive in the 3-in. screw with a dri l l . When the screw issnug against the hinge, give the screw another quarter turn with a screwdriver.Close the door to check the fit. Continue tightening and checking unti l the door nolonger sticks. Keep an eye on the door trim as you tighten-if you begin to creategaps at the trim joints, stop. lt 's rare, but you might f ind that you can't draw in ahinge at a l l because the jamb is already t ight against the f raming or shims.

Draw in the jambThis is really just another version of the hinge adjustment described above. By driv-ing a long screw through the " latch" s ide of the jamb (rather than the hinge side),you can often draw in the jamb and give the door a l itt le extra space (photo right).Try this only if drawing in the hinges doesn't work; it leaves you with a large screwhead hole to cover. Countersink the screw head with a countersink bit (about $8 athome centers). Drive a screw near the middle of the area where the door is rubbing.You may need to add a second screw.Tighten screws gradually and watch the trimto make sure you don't open joints. Cover the screw heads with wood fi l ler andthen sand and paint or stain the fi l ler to match.

Tighten the hinge screws in both the door andthe jamb. Snug them firmly, using a screw-driver rather than a dril,t to avoid stripping thescrew holes.

Run a 3-in. screw through the jamb and intothe wall framing to draw the hinge inward.

Predrill a 1/8-in. hole and create a recess forthe screw head with a countersink bit. Thendrive a 3-in. screw into the watl framing todraw in the jamb.

c U R E S F o R s l c K t N G D o o R S 8 l

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PIane the door wi th a bel t sanderlf your door sti l l sticks after you've tried tightening and drivingscrews, you'l l have to plane it. Start by scribing the door where itrubs against the side or top of the jamb (Photo 1). A carpenter'scompass is the best tool for this (53 at home centers).

Then remove the door. The best tool for "planing" the doorisn't a plane, but a belt sander (Photo 2).You could also do the job

with a hand plane or an electric planer. Belt sander pricesstart at about 550 at home centers. Begin with a SO-grit

*b..sanding belt.This coarse belt removes wood fast. Keepthe sander moving so you don't grind a hole in onespot. Some older doors have a beveled edge, but don'taccidentally create a bevel if the door didn't originallyhave one (Photo 3).When you're about 1/16 in. away fromthe scribe l ine, switch to an 80-grit belt and sand to the l ine.Finally, use a 120-grit belt to smooth the door's edge.

{ Scrile the door. Set the pencil tip and compass pointI ye in. apart and run the point along the jamb. Masking

tape makes the pencil line easy to see.

Stop sanding occasionally to make sure that you're sandingsquarely and not creating a beveled edge.

lf you sand the area around the mortise that holds the doorlatch, you might end up with a latch that protrudes. Solve thisproblem by deepening the mortise with a sharp chisel.The beltsander wil l leave sharp corners on the edge of the door. Roundthem slightly by making a couple of passes with 120-grit paper.

Hang the door back on its hinges to check the fit. Don't besurpr ised i f you have to remove the door and sand of f somemore. lf there's a 1/8-in. gap between the door and the jamb,

you're ready to paint or stain the sanded edge. You canremove the door or f inish it in place (Photo 4). lf the

top or bottom edges of the door are unf in-ished, paint or varnish them.A coat of var-

n i s h l i m i t s s h r i n k i n g a n d s w e l l i n gbecause it slows moisture move-

ggrupagg-* - menr rn ano out of wooo.

Remove the excess wood with a belt sander. Sand right upto the [ine, but not into it.

/l Stain or paint the sanded edge. When varnishing the edge,rrl appty polyurethane with a lint-free rag rather than a brushto avoid slopping onto the door's face.

SEAL THE TOP ANDBOTTOM EDGES

a2 wrNDows & DooRS

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Fix a dentedsteel door

ill a dent or hole in a steel door thesame way a body shop would fix yourcar. You can do this wi th the door in

place, but it wil l be easier with the door lyingflat on sawhorses. Remove an area of paint acouple of inches larger than the damaged spot(Photo 1). Sand away the paint with 60- or 80-grit paper, or do the job faster with a small wirewheel (57) in a dr i l l . Next, f i l l the area with autobody fi l ler (S10 at hardware stores and homecenters).To mix the fi l ler, place a scoop of resinon a scrap of plywood or hardboard.Then addthe hardener. Mix the two components thor-oughly; unmixed resin won't harden and you'l lbe left with a sticky mess. A plastic putty knife(S1) makes a good mixing tool .

Apply the f i l ler wi th a metal put ty kni fethat's wider than the damaged spot (Photo 2).The fi l ler wil l start to harden in just a couple ofminutes, so you have to work fast. Fil l the repairflush with the surrounding surface. Don't over-fi l l i t and don't try to smooth out imperfectionsa f t e r t h e f i l l e r b e g i n s t o h a r d e n . A d d i n ganother coat of f i l ler is easier than sanding offhumps. When the f i l l e r has hardened com-p le te ly (about 30 minu tes) , sand i t smooth(Photo 3). After priming the repair, you couldpaint over the primer only. But the new paintwon't perfectly match the older paint, so it 'sbest to repaint the entire door.

tip lf the damage is near the bottomof the door, you can skip therepair and cover it with a metalkick plate (525 at home centersand hardware stores). Kick platesare about 8 in. wide and come inlengths to match standard doors.

Remove paint around the dent with a wire wheet. Roughen the bare metalwith 60-grit sandpaper.1

J mir auto body fitler and fitl the3 dent using a wide putty knife.Avoid leaving humps or ridges. If nec-essary add more filler after the firstlayer hardens.

Q SanO the fitter smooth with 100-J grit paper. Use a sanding btockto ensure a flat surface. Prime therepair and paint the entire door.

C U R E S F O R S T I C K I N G D O O R S ; F I X A D E N T E D S T E E L D O O R a3

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Adjust a storm doorlf your storm door slams shut or won't close hard enough tolatch,try a few simple adjustments to make it close just right.

First, change the mounting position of the closer's con-necting pin (Photo I ).To remove the pin, you have to first lockthe door open with the hold-open washer to release the ten-sion on the pin. But there's a good chance that your hold-open washer won't work. In that case, open the door andsnap locking pliers (such as Vise-Grip pliers) onto the closershaft to hold the door open. To repair the washer, slip it offthe shaft, put it in a vise and make a sharper bend in it using a

hammer. Or you can take the entire closer to a home center orhardware store and find a similar replacement for about S10.Some closers mount a little differently from the one shownhere. For example,you may find that the door bracket, ratherthan the closer, has two pinholes.

lf moving the pin makes matters worse, return it to its origi-nal position and try the adjustment screw (Photo 2). Turn itclockwise for a softer close, counterclockwise for harder. lf your

door has two closers,treat them exactly alike.Adjust both screwsequallyand make suretheir pins are in the same position.

{ locf the door open and remove the pin. Connect theI closer at the inner hole to make the door ctose harder.

For a softer close, use the outer hole.

I furn the adjustment screw to make the door ctose harder3 o, softer. Make a quarter turn, test the door and con-tinue making quarter turns until the door closes just right.

Mask pet claw scratchesDogs and cats still haven't figured out how to open doors, butthat's never stopped them from trying. Painted doors can bespackled and repainted to hide the damage, but naturalwood doors can be more of a problem. However, i f thescratches aren't too deep, you can usually mask the damagewith stain and varnish.

Sand the damaged area l ightly (Photo 1),feathering thesand ing in to the sur round ingundamaged area.Wipe off all dust.

lf you don't have the originalstain or f inish, f ind a matchingstain at a paint store. Gel stains(available at home centers andpaint stores) work best. Buy asmal l p iece of matching woodand experiment with it f irst, orbring a photo of the door to thepaint store for help. Start with al ighter stain- i t can always bedarkened.You can also buy a fewdifferent colors and blend themor streak them together.

Wipe the scratched area witha rag dipped in paint thinner tok e e p t h e s t a i n f r o m l o o k i n gblotchy. Put a smal l amount of

the gel stain on a rag, then dab a little on a dry brush. Wipeexcess stain on the rag. Drag the brush lightly along one edgeand quickly wipe it dry to see how the color looks. Leave thestain on longer, apply additional coats or blend in other col-ors to darken it (Photo 2).

lf the stained area look too dull after it dries, lightly spray thearea with clear finish,feathering it into the surrounding area.

1tightty sand the scratches and thearea around them.

tl grush the stain over the sanded area4ni'in a dry brush, mixing cotors tomatch the old finish.

REPLACE A TORN SCREEN; ADJUST A STORM DOOR; MASK PET CLAW SCRATCHES a5

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Replace atorn screen

top pesky insects from invading your home by replacingtorn nylon screen. Purchase a screening tool (Photo 3;53), spline and screen at a home center or hardware

store. (Take a sample of the old screen and spline with you tomake sure you get a good match.) Set the screen on a workbenchor other flat area with the spline channel facing up, and removethe old spline and screen (Photo 1). Unroll the new screen over

Dig out the old sptine with a nail set or awt, starting at onecorner. Then remove the otd screen.

Q Ctarp the side of the finished frame to a workbench, pullJthe screen tight at the opposite side, and insert the sptinedown that side. Complete the other two sides the same way,then repress the entire spline in place with the convex wheel.

84 WINDoWS & DooRS

the frame,and cut it so it overhangs all sides by 1-1/2 in.Align thescreen and begin inserting the spline (Photo 2),then work it intothe remaining three sides (Photo 3). Af ter the spl ine is com-pletely inserted, secure it in place on all sides with the convexwheel at the other end of the screening tool. Finish the job bycutting away the excess screen (Photo 4).

] ltign the& new screengrid to the side ofthe frame so itgoes in square.Seat the newsptine in thechannel on oneside with the con-cave end of thescreening tool,beginning at onecorner.

Cut off the excess screen just above the new sptine with asharp utility knife.

1

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Adjust a storm doorlf your storm door slams shut or won't close hard enough tolatch,try a few simple adjustments to make it close just right.

First, change the mounting position of the closer's con-necting pin (Photo 1).To remove the pin, you have to first lockthe door open with the hold-open washer to release the ten-sion on the pin. But there's a good chance that your hold-open washer won't work. In that case, open the door andsnap locking pliers (such as Vise-Grip pliers) onto the closershaft to hold the door open. To repair the washer, slip it offthe shaft, put it in a vise and make a sharper bend in it using a

hammer. Or you can take the entire closer to a home center orhardware store and find a similar replacement for about 510.Some closers mount a little differently from the one shownhere. For example,you may find that the door bracket, ratherthan the closer, has two pinholes.

lf moving the pin makes matters worse, return it to its origi-nal position and try the adjustment screw (Photo 2). Turn itclockwise for a softer close, counterclockwise for harder. lf your

door has two closers,treat them exactly alike.Adjust both screwsequallyand make suretheir pins are in the same position.

{ loct the door open and remove the pin. Connect theI closer at the inner hole to make the door ctose harder.

For a softer close, use the outer hole.

! furn the adjustment screw to make the door close harder3 or softer. Make a quarter turn, test the door and con-tinue making quarter turns until the door closes just right.

Mask pet claw scratchesDogs and cats still haven't figured out how to open doors, butthat's never stopped them from trying. Painted doors can bespackled and repainted to hide the damage, but naturalwood doors can be more of a problem. However, i f thescratches aren't too deep, you can usually mask the damagewith stain and varnish.

Sand the damaged area l ightly (Photo 1),feathering thesand ing in to the sur round ingundamaged area.Wipe off all dust.

lf you don't have the originalstain or f inish, f ind a matchingstain at a paint store. Gel stains(available at home centers andpaint stores) work best. Buy asmal l p iece of matching woodand experiment with it f irst, orbring a photo of the door to thepaint store for help. Start with al ighter stain- i t can always bedarkened.You can also buy a fewdifferent colors and blend themor streak them together.

Wipe the scratched area witha rag dipped in paint thinner tok e e p t h e s t a i n f r o m l o o k i n gblotchy. Put a smal l amount of

the gel stain on a rag, then dab a little on a dry brush. Wipeexcess stain on the rag. Drag the brush lightly along one edgeand quickly wipe it dry to see how the color looks. Leave thestain on longer, apply additional coats or blend in other col-ors to darken it (Photo 2).

lf the stained area look too dull after it dries, lightly spray thearea with clear finish,feathering it into the surrounding area.

1Lightty sand the scratches and thearea around them.

1l grustr the stain over the sanded areaZntn a dry brush, mixing cotors tomatch the otd finish.

REPLACE A TORN SCREEN; ADJUST A STORM DOOR; MASK PET CLAW SCRATCHES 85

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Removi ng radon"The si lent k i l ler"R a d o n i s a r a d i o a c t i v e g a s t h a t m o v e sthrough spaces in the soi l and can enter ahouse through any opening, such as cracksin the foundat ion or the concrete s lab. Atelevated levels over long periods of t ime,radon can cause lung cancer.

Even if your neighbor's house has a highlevel of radon, that doesn't mean yours does.Each house is different, and age doesn't mat-ter. Radon is even found in new homes.

The second leading cause of lung cancerbehind smoking (and the leading cause fornonsmokers), radon is est imated to cause21,000 deaths annually in the United States.Since radon is colorless, odorless and taste-less, it 's often called "the silent kil ler."

You can test for it yourself. Radon test kitsare available at home centers and hardwarestores for about 510. They usual ly involvesetting a collector in your home for a weekor so and then sending it to a lab for analysis.You ' l l ge t resu l ts in about a week. (Onemanufac turer i s Pro-Lab, 800-427-0550;pro lab inc .com. Another i s A i r Chek, Inc . ,800-247 -2435; radon.com.) Cond uct the testin the lowest l ivable area in the house.

lf two tests give a high reading, consult aradon mitigation contractor (from a l ist pro-v ided by your s ta te hea l th depar tment ) .These contractors can professionally test thehouse and if necessary, install a mitigationsystem for reducing the radon to a harmlesslevel. The most effective system is a ventpipe placed in a sump pi t or a hole madeunder your concrete floor slab.The vent runsup through the house and out the roof, orou t the s ide o f the house and up to theeaves, as shown. A special in- l ine fan forradon is placed in the at t ic or outs ide thehouse to suck a i r th rough the vent . Anyo p e n i n g s i n t h e s l a b o r f o u n d a t i o n a r es e a l e d t o k e e p o u t r a d o n . P r o s u s u a l l ycharge S1,200 to S1,500 to install these sys-tems (it costs about 5400 to add the systemwhen bui ld ing a home).

For more information, contact your stateheal th department, the EPA radon hot l ine(800-767-7236) or the radon fix-it program(800-644-6999). Or visit epa.gov/radon orradon.com. An in-line fan draws air through the vent pipe, sucking radon from the ground

under the basement ftoor.

S P E C I A L S E C T I O N : H E A L T H & S A F E T Y

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-iiI

Testing for leadHomes built before 1978 sometimes containlead-based paint . Conduct a dust wipe testusing a lead test kit to determine if lead is pres-ent in a pre-l978 home. Most lead-based paintpoisoning in chi ldren occurs by exposure tolead dust, and testing dust wil l determine ifyou have a lead hazard you have to deal with.The test kits, available at home centers andhardware stores for 510, include step-by-stepinstructions for collecting the samples, bagsfor the samples, plastic aloves and an envelopeto send the samples to an EPA-certified lab forana lys is (each lab tes t cos ts 510) . Resu l ts ,mai led back in about two weeks, wi l l te l l i fthe samples contained a potentially harmfullevel of lead dust. lf you have a lead hazard,contact your local health department for reme-

diation guidelines.However, before

remodel ing or oth-erw ise d is tu rb ingpainted surfaces,i t 's best to havea pro fess iona Ilead inspec t ionand r isk assess-ment done (5500

Wipe the test area in a backward oSu pattern with a moist cloth, picking up dustto use as a sample.

sar i lYgood condition and

to 5700).This wil ltell i f your homehas lead-based paint, where it 'slocated and if it's hazardous. Keep

in mind that lead paint itself is not neces-hazardous, especial ly i f the surface is inthe paint isn't f laking or being worn down

(along sliding windows, for example). Find certif ied inspectionfirms through your state health department or the Environmen-tal Protection Agency.

Don't be discouraged if you have lead paint.You can handle itsafely. Follow the guidelines online at epa.gov/lead or call yourlocal health department.

Instal la peepholein a doorYou never want to open a door unless you knowwho's on the other side. A peephole lets you seewho's there, but entry doors don't come with peep-holes, and a lot of peepholes are so tiny that theydon't clearly show you who's out there. Strangerscan hide slightly out of view or appear so distortedthat they're hard to identify.

Avoid uncertainty by instal l ing aw i d e - a n g l e d o o r v i e w e r . T h e o n eshown here from M.A.G. Engineering andManufacturing Co. (magsecurity.com,

No.8720) offers a 160-degree view andcosts 54.50 on the company's Websi te. Instal l i t just l ike a standardpeephole-dril l a hole from eachside and screw it in.

R E M O V I N G R A D O N ; T E S T I N G F O R L E A D ; I N S T A L L A P E E P H O L E l N A D O O R 87

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Add inexpensive door and window alarmsKeeping doors and windows locked is your The alarms don't provide the same securityfirst line of defense against break-ins. Make as pro-installed monitored systems sincewireless alarms your second. Burglars hate the wireless devices are activated by doorsnoises, so even a small alarm usually sends or windows opening (not glass breaking).them running. The alarms are available at Use the alarms for doors and windows inhome centers (520 for door alarms; 57 for "hidden" areas of the house wherewindow). Or check out Intermatic's Web you don't normally gather and that aresite at intermatic.com or Door and Window often dark.Alarms at doorandwindowalarms.com. Attach the alarm to the door or window

(with a screw or double-s ided tape) a longs idethe magnet ic contac tstrip (they don't have tobe touching, but within112 in.). When the dooro r w i n d o w o p e n s ,breaking magnetic con-tact , the alarm shr ieks(these little units have ap i e r c i n g a l a r m ) . T h edoor alarm has a delayfeature, giving you timet o s e t t h e a l a r m a n dleave, then open thedoor and deactivate theu n i t w h e n y o u c o m ehome, without setting itoff.The window unit hasan on/of f switch. Thealarms will work on anydoor or window,and thereplaceable batteries lasttwo to three years.

Switch off the unit when you want to open your window, thenturn it back on at night.

Just punch in your code to setor deactivate the door alarm.

Install a small safeMost people don't need a big, heavy, expensive safe to secure their valuables.

For 51 00, you can get a safe that wil l protect against thieves. Be sure tofasten it to the floor or wall so an intruder doesn't walk off with it.

Safes go up in price for options such as fire protection and dig-ital or biometric (fingerprint reading) opening systems.Sentry

Safe makes the ones shown here (sentrysafe. com).Install the wall safe (5100) or bolt the cylinder

floor safe (5t ZO) to the floor (most safes have holesinside for just that purpose). Hide it in the corner ofa closet or other inconspicuous area. Or mount the

wall safe inside a wall and cover it with a picture. Orchip out a hole in your concrete slab and stick in thefloor safe, then pour new concrete around it.

Lefh Replace the cover, then set a rug over the top tohide the safe in the ftoor.

may be all you needto hotd important papers, jewetry andother vatuabtes.

a8 SPECIAL SECTION: HEALTH & SAFETY

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Filtering out pollenlf you enjoy s leepinglwi th the windows open but pol len

affects your allergies, try a special window, like the one from

R.E.P. lndustries (800-426-3527; repindustries.com) that canbe used with double.hung windows. The company says

the Safeguard Window Filter keeps out 92 percent of rag-weed pol len. The drawback is that unl ike a convent ionalinsect screen, this one won't let breezes blow through theopen window.

To install the screen, just open thd window and put it in

the opening. Screen heights are l imited to either 7 or 11 in.

You can buy the screens, starting at 517, on the company'sWeb site.The filters are replaceable.

You can leave the screen in year round, but you'l l onlyneed it when pollen is aggravating your allergies. Pollinatinggrasses,such as orchard and Bermuda,grow in the late springand early summer. Ragweed, which causes most "hay fever," isprevalent in the late summer and fall.

l f pollen is sti l l a prqblem, put an air cleaner (also called anair purifier) in your bedroom.The units work by circulating airand fi l tering out airborne particles such as pollens. Pricesstart at 5100. Choose a unit thatt made to clean a bedroomthe size of yours or a larger room. Be aware that while someair cleaners have tested well at filtering out pollens, othershave not. Research air cleaners before buying one ("Con-

sumer Reports"is one source).Other strategies for reducing pollen:

I Upgrade your furndce filter to a high-quality disposablefilter made of pleated fabric or paper (S 10). Or have a pro-

fessional install an electrostatic filter that's connected toyour ductwork (5700 to 51,500).

I Change your bedding weekly.I Replace carpet with wood, laminate, tile or vinyl. Carpet is

the biggest reservoir of dust . Also vacuum area rugsweekly.

t Take couch cushions outside and beat out the dust with atennis racket. Or better yet, when it comes time for furni-ture replacement, choose leather or v inyl upholsteryrather than fabric.

Simple-to-installscald protectionScalding water is dangerous, especially for young kidswho can't turn it off. Approximately 3,800 people areinjured and 34 people die each year from excessively hottap water, according to the Consumer Product SafetyCommission.

Ant i -scald valves have been required by code foryears, but older homes may not have them. And putting

them in an existing bathroom means tearing open thewalls to access the plumbing pipes.

An easier f ix is to replace the showerhead and the tubspout with fixtures that have a built- in scald protection

valve.To install, simply unscrew the existing shower-head or tub spout, wrap pipe tape around theexposed threads, caulk ANn-scALDaround the opening -5t*

' t ,

for a tub spout, Fr' .

- - - - - :r u r E - v v r t r r l J r l - r

t h e w a t e rr e a c h e s a nunsafe temper-ature, the fixtureautomatically cutst h e w a t e r f l o w t o

a t r i c k l e . F l o w

resumes when An anti-scald vatve, buitt into thethe Water COOls. shower fixture, keeps the water from

Codes may still from becoming dangerously hot'

require an anti-scald valve (not just an anti-scald fixture).Check with your local building inspector.

Look fo r the f i x tu res (s ta r t ing a t S25) in homec e n t e r s . T w o m a n u f a c t u r e r s a r e A m e r i c a n V a l v e(americanvalve.com or h2otstop.com) and AmericanStandard (americanstandard-us.com).

TNEXPENSIVE DQOR AND WINDOW ALARMS; SMALL SAFE; F ILTERING OUT POLLEN; SCALD PROTECTION 89

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Christmastree safetyTo help prevent Chr istmas treef i res , choose a recent ly cu t ,heal thy t ree. A f resh tree holdsmois tu re be t te r . Grab a t reebranch and run your hand overit-no more than a few needlesshould fall off. As soon as you getthe tree home, cut"l/2 in. off thet r u n k a n d p l a c e t h e t r e e i n abucket of water until you're readyto bring it into the house. Whenyou set the tree up to decorate it,make sure it's stable in the standand won't t ip over, and water itf requent ly . A 6- f t . t ree needsabout 1 ga l lon o f water everyother day.

When decorat ing, use l ightsrated for indoor use that don' tcreate heat (such as LED lights).And don't overload your electricalou t le t . l f you want to powerdozens of strands of l ights andother electr ic decorat ions, p lugthem into different circuits around the house. lf you continuallyblow a circuit, it's probably overloaded.

Here are some other tips:I Don't use electric l ights on a metaltree.t Unplug tree l ights before leaving the house or going to bed.t Keep the tree at least 3 ft. from candles and fireplaces.

A new Christmas Tree Safety System ($30) by LifeKeeper isdesigned to detect low water in the tree stand and send a warn-

ing if a fire starts (see photo). Place the system's low-water detec-tor in the tree stand.lt ' l l send an audio alert and trigger flashinglights on the attached heat sensor angel if the water level getstoo low.

The ornamental angel, attached to the tree, signals a remotealarm if it senses heat, warning you that a fire could start or hasstarted. The alarm plugs into the wall. To buy the system, visitch ristmastreesafetysystem.com.

\

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Secure tippy furnitureEvery year, several thousand kids are injured by falling furni-ture. The solution is to fasten tip-prone furniture to the wall.You can simply drive screws through the back of a chest orbookcase into studs. But if you want to be able to move thefurniture without removing screws, pick up a couple of chainlatches (55 each) at a hardware store or home center. lf youplan to mount the tracks on top of the piece as shown, makesure the top is at least 3/4in.thick to provide a solid base forthe screws. lf the furniture's back is 3/4 in. thick, you canmount the tracks on the back. Fasten the chain bracket tostuds with 2-1 / 2-in.screws.

9(D SPECIAL SECTION: HEALTH & SAFETY

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exteriorsdecks

Instant curb appeal forunder $200

Deck repairs

Deck rescue

Strip fLaking deck stain

Quick fix for teakymetal gutters

Better traction on concrete

106 3 garage door f ixes

109 Replace damaged vinyl s id ing

110 Rep[ace a sh ing le

111 Rep lace p tumbingvent f tashing

92

96

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1 0 4

1 0 5

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Paint, paint, paintCost:525 and upTime:Half dayand upWhether you paint your front door, your trim or yourentire house, few projects can transform a house asdramatically and inexpensively as paint. Top-notchpaint costs only a few dollars more per gallon, but itwil l cover better, go on smoother and last longer thanthe cheap stuff-it's a smart investment.

A few rules of thumb: lf you want a small house tolook larger, paint it white. lf your house is a mishmashof styles or has sagging soffits or other flaws, painteverything the same color to help v isual ly uni fythe house.

Several paint manufacturers market computersoftware that al lows you to mock up di f ferentpaint color schemes on a digi ta l image of yourhouse (or on a house close in style supplied by thesoftware). Visit g l idden.com, benjamin moore.comand sherwin-wil l iams.com to find out more.

lnstall newhouse numbersCost: S 1 and up for individual numbers; customplaques start at about 550Time:1 hourReplace shabby or dated-looking numbers with onesmade of brass, a luminum or stainless steel . They' l llook best if the finish matches that of the l ight f ixtureand door hardware.You can buy do-it-yourself addressplaque kits from Ace Hardware (acehardware.com).For cus tom p laques, v is i t addressp laques.ne t o rbestnest.com.

Upgrade your mailboxCost: 51 0 and upTime:1 hour and upWhether you have a box mounted to the house, aletter slot next to the door or a freestanding box on apost near the street, a new mailbox can add a splashof curb appeal. Purchase an approved mailbox andfol low regulat ions regarding heighq for example,curbside mailboxes must be mounted so bottoms are42to 48 in. above the ground. And remember, hang-ing plants and f lowers growing around a mai lboxmay increase curb appeal , but the bees and otherst inging insects these plants at t ract aren' t a lwaysyour mail carrier's best friend.

Vis i t mai lboxworks.com for a wide select ion ofmailboxes and letter slots.

-us*L.?

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- Line a walkway withbricks or pavers-

|' Cost S2 to 54 per linear footTime: Half to a full day

ls your concrete walkway in decent-but boring-shape? Adding color,texture and width to an existingwalkway by l ining it with pavers is a whole lot easierand cheaper than replacing it. Stone, clay and con-crete pavers are all good choices. The basic proce-dure involves digging a trench one paver wide alongthe walkway, leveling in a bed of sand or pea gravel,then setting and tamping pavers so they're flush withthe top of the walkway.

Replace a light fixtureCost: $25 and upTime:1 to 2 hoursConsider funct ion as wel l as sty le when select inga fixture; it should l ight up your steps, house numbersand door wi thout being too dominant. To simpl i fy

the pro jec t , buy a f i x tu re tha t has the samemount ing sys tem or sc rew spac ing as the

existing fixture.Make certain the power is off and the new fixture

is rated for exterior use before install ing it. Somesconce-style l ights are now available with unobtru-sive, built-in motion detectors.

Plant a treeCost:530 and upTime:2 to 4 hoursPlant a tree and you get not only curb appeal but alsoshade, an improved view from the inside and fal lcolor. Before planting, determine the mature size ofthe tree. Plant it far enough away from the house solimbs won't overhang the roof or cause other prob-lems. A tree planted in the right place can help blockwind and act as a mini solar device by screening outthe hot summer sun when it 's in full leaf and lettingin welcome winter sunshine when it 's leafless. Con-sider plant ing two trees to " f rame" the house orentryway. Foundation plantings are another way toadd appeal.

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Add low-voltage lightingCost550 and upTime:2 hours and upLow-vo l tage l igh t ing can dramat ica l l y improveyour home's nighttime curb appeal, and by l ightingwalkways and dark corners, it can improve safety andsecurity as well. Lighting can be grouped into threebasic categories: downlights, uplights and specialtylights. Buy a transformer that includes a timer or l ightsensor so the lights automatically turn on and off.

lnstallshuttersCosfiAbout 54 per sq.ft.for standard vinyl shutters;

$2S to S50 per sq.ft.for custom-made wood shuttersTime: 1 to 2 hours to paint, 'l l2to t hour to installDecorative shutters can add color, quaintness anddepth to a house. Shutters with louvers or raisedpanels have a traditional look; those with decorativecutouts have more of a cottage or country feel.

For an authentic look, mount wood shutters usingspecial shutter hinges and keep them pinned againstthe house with old-fashioned shutter dogs. Shutterclips are available for"invisibly" mounting vinyl shutters.

lnstall a new storm doorCost5100 and upTime:2 to 4 hoursEven if your primary door remains the same, a stormdoor with an oval window or decorative glass can actas a great cover-up.lt can add security and increaseyour home's energy efficiency.

Self-storing units with glass and screen panels

that can be adjusted in tracks according to seasonare the most convenient.Those with interchangeablescreens and storm panels have a cleaner, uninter-rupted look but require a safe place to store theunused panel.

lnstallflower boxesCost:520 to 530 eachTime: t hour to install store-bought boxes;3 to 4 hours to build and install your ownFew projects add as much charm and color to a housea s f l o w e r s i n w i n d o w b o x e s . T h e s e w o r k b e s twhen mounted below double-hung, slide-by or sta-t ionary windows-casement and other swing-outwindow sashes wi l l decapi tate the f lowers. Use aplastic l inerto prolong the l ife of the planter and sim-plify fall cleanup.

Easier yet, arrange container gardens in pots andplanters on the front stoop or along the walkway.

TNSTANT cuRB AppEAL FoR UNDER $200 95

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boa rd s

7. . . "Draw a square [ i ne on the deck ingto one s ide of a jo ist betow. Cut

the deck board wi th a j igsaw. Pul [ thedecking nai ls wi th a cat 's paw.

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i - 1 /8" PILOT' HOLES

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Replace brokEn deckYou don ' t have t o l e t a sp l i t , r o t t ed o ro t h e r w i s e u g l y d e c k b o a r d r u i n t h eappea rance o f you r deck . S imp l y rep lacei t and i n a yea r o r so t he rep lacemen t w i l lb l end r i gh t i n .

You usua l l y don ' t have t o rep lace anen t i r e boa rd . Jus t make su re t o cu t ou t ap iece t ha t spans a t l eas t t h ree j o i s t s .The

rema inde r shou ld be a t l eas t t ha t l ong .And don ' t hes i ta te to cut out a l i t t le ext rat o k e e p a d j a c e n t d e c k i n g j o i n t s s t a g -gered for bet ter appearance.

The mos t d i f f i cu l t pa r t i s cu t t i ng ou tt he damaged sec t i on c l ean l y (Pho to 1 ) .D o n ' t t r y t o c u t d i r e c t l y o v e r a j o i s t .

I ns tead , cu t t o one s i de and sc rew on ac l e a t t o s u p p o r t t h e n e w d e c k i n g . l t ' sa f a i r l y he f t y cu t f o r a j i gsaw , so use asha rp , s t i f f b l ade t o keep you r cu t s ass t ra i gh t and smoo th as poss ib l e .

P red r i l l s c rew ho les i n t he c l ea t s sot h e y p u l l t i g h t t o t h e j o i s t s ( P h o t o 2 ) .A l so pu l l up on t hem so t hey bu t t t i gh t l yaga ins t t he deck ing on each s i de as you

sc rew them in .

Cut the new deck board f rom match-i ng ma te r i a l , bo th i n t h i ckness and woodtype . l t ' l l l ook d i f f e ren t i n i t i a l l y , bu t i t ' l lb l end i n a f t e r a yea r o r so , espec ia l l y i fyou c l ean and resea l o r s ta i n you r deck .C u t t h e n e w d e c k b o a r d t o f i t s n u g l y ,t hen sc rew o r na i l i t i n t o p l ace (Pho to 3 ) .

9 6 E X T E R t o R S & D E C K S

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ADHESIVE

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Predr i l l three ctearance holes intwo 16- in. t reated wood cteats.

Appty construct ion adhesive, hotd eachcteat t ight to neighbor ing deck boards,and screw one to the jo ists at each endof the repair .

Cu t the rep tace -ment board to

leng th . Then tap i tin to p lace wi th ahammer and a woodbtock. Predr i t I p i tot

holes and dr ive a pair

of 2-7/Z- in. deckscrews (or galvanizednai ls) into each c leat .Fasten at a[ [ otherjo ists as wel [ .

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NEW BOARD

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Stren gthen wobbly postsYou don't have to live with loose, wobbly railing posts when a

couple of bolts will make them safe and solid. Measure the thick-

ness of the post/framing assembly, add 1 in. and buy 1/2-in.-

diameter galvanized carriage bolts that length (plus a nut and

washer for each) from a hardware store or home center.Drif l the 1|2-in.clearance holes well apart,one about "l-1/2in.

from the top of the framing and one about 1-112in.up from thebottom of the post (Photo 1, below).You may have to angle the

{ Oritt two tl2-in. clearance holes through the post andI framing. 0ffset the holes to prevent sptitting the post.

Angle the hote to avoid joist hangers.

holes slightly to avoid joists, framing anchors or other obstruc-

tions. lf your drill bit isn't long enough to go through the post

and framing, get a long spade bit. Versions up to 16 in. long are

available for 58 at home centers and hardware stores.Most posts are held fairly plumb by the rail ing, but check

them anyway with a level and tap in shims to straighten them if

necessary. Don't overtighten the bolts; the heads will sink into

softwood without much effort.

a f.p in ll2-in. carriage botts, shim if necessary to ptumb3 ttre post, and instatt washers and nuts. Tighten the nutsuntil the bolt heads are set flush to the post.

Some otherwise solid deckstend to sway or wobble asyou walk across them, espe-cial ly decks rest ing on tal lposts 4 or more feet abovethe ground. Angle-bracingthe posts is one good solu-tion to this problem, but thebraces o f ten look tacky .Instead, install an angle braceunderneath your deck. lt's avirtually invisible fix that allbut eliminates sway.

lf your longest 2x4 doesn'tspan the en t i re d is tance,don' t worry. Add a secondone starting from the othercorner and run it back along-side the first, nail ing it to atleast two of the same joists.

Take out the sway with an angle brace

Cut and nail a treated 2x4 diagonatty from corner to corner under your deck. Drive two 16d galva-

nized nails at each joist.

DEcK REPAIRS 97

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Replace loose,popped nailsDecking swells and shrinks as it goes throughrepeated cycles of wet and dry seasons. Thisfrequently causes nails to loosen and pop upabove the deck boards. You can drive themdown again, but chances are that 's only ashort-term solution. They'l l probably pop upagain after a few years.The long-term solutionis to remove the popped nai ls and replacethem with deck screws.

The tr ick is to pul l the old nai ls wi thoutmarring the decking. Always use a block orshim under your prying tool (Photos 1 and 2).And work on tough-to-get-out nails using sev-eral steps. A diagonal cutter works well fornails that only protrude slightly (Photo 1).Theslim jaws can slip under the head. You'l l onlyraise the nail a slight amount, so you may haveto repeat this process two or three times. Oncethe nail head is high enough, you can grip itwith a cat's paw or hammer claw without mar-ring the deck board (Photo 2). Be sure to usethin wood blocks to protect the decking. Minordents wil l disappear when the wood swellsafterthe next rain.

There's no need to drill a pilot hole if yousend the screw down the old nail hole. How-ever, one drawback of screws is that theirheads are larger than nail heads and can beunsightly. Buy deck screws in a color that mostclosely matches the aged decking.

! craU stishttyI protruding nails

directl,y under thehead with a diagonalcutter. Rott the cutterback onto a shim to prythe nail up stightty.

1 r.p the ctaw of a3 ca(s paw underthe nail head andlener the nail up.Finish putling with ahammer or pry bar.Protect the deckboard with a shim orthin btock.

Qstano on theddeck board tohold it down. Thendrive a Z-l.l2-in. deckscrew down into theold nail hole. Set thescrew head flush tothe surface.

Solutions for stubborn nailslf the head breaks offa stubbornnail and you can't get it with apry bar, try pulling it with lock-ing pliers. Grip the nail t ip androllthe pliers overto get it going(photo le f t ) . l f the na i l shankbreaks off, don't worry. Just drilla pilot hole beside the nail anddrive a screw. The screw headwill cover the nail (photo right).

9a EXTERToRS & DEcKs

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Stiffen a bouncy deckA deck that bounces when you walk across itwon't feel strong and solid, even if i t meetsstructural requirements. The cause is usuallylong joist spans between beams or between abeam and the house.

To stiffen a deck, you have to be able to gett o t h e f r a m i n g u n d e r n e a t h . Y o u c a n a d danother beam, along with posts, to support thejoists. However, this is a big job. Instead, f irstadd rows of solid blocking every 3 to 4 ft. alongthe span (Photo 1). Run the first row down themiddle of the span, check the deck for bounce,then add rows to further reduce it.

Use t rea ted lumber b lock ing tha t ' s thesame size as the joists (usually 2x8 or 2x10).Install the blocking in rows along a chalk l inesnapped at a r ight angle to the jo ists. You' l lhave to measure and cut each block separatelyto get a snug f i t , s ince the jo ists are neverexactly the same distance apart. Staggeringthe blocking in a step pattern (Photo 2) allowsyou to easily drive nails from both sides, ratherthan having to toenail (drive nails at an angle).

Snap lines for blocks every 3 to 4 ft. along the joist span. Measure and cutthe btocks to fit tightly. Tap them into place in a staggered pattern.1

Square each block to the joist and drive threethrough the joists into each end of the block.

16d galvanized box naitsRepeat for each row.

DEcK REPATRS 99

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Deckrescuei ' ' , y o u r d e c k b e c a u s e y o u t h i n k i t

requ i res a lo t o f t ime, too ls andknow-how, take heart. Here you'll learn how toclean i t up fast wi th the help of a pressurewasher and special products that help removedirt, mildew and old finishes. You'l l also learnhow to apply a fresh finish, using a foam appli-ca tor pad tha t g l ides a long the wood andqu ick ly app l ies a n ice , even coat . No moremessy rollers and brushes.

This process wil l work on any wood deck,includ ing redwood, cedar and pressure-treatedlumber (but not on composite decks).The onlyspecial tools you need are a pressure washerand a foam applicator pad.The project doesn'trequire any special skil ls. Just set aside at leastfour hours on one day to clean your deck, andanother four hours several days later to stain it.

The cost of rejuvenating an average-sizedeck is about 5250, including tools, materialsand the pressure washer rental.You'l l save sev-eral hundred dollars by doing the work your-self. Having your deck professionally cleanedand stained wil l cost 5500 to $ 1,000.

Rent a pressure washerA pressure washer wi l l scour away dir t andcontaminants ingrained in the wood at thesame time it sprays on a deck stripper to cleanoff previous finishes.

Rent a pressure washer from a home centeror rental center (about 540 for four hours, or 570per day), or buy. one, starting at about S100. Apressure setting of 1,000 to 1,200 psi is ideal.Too much pressure wil l damage the wood andmake the wand harder to control.

Rent or buy a unit that allows for the intakeof chemical cleaners (deck stripper and woodbrightener) so you can spray them on throughthe wand. Most p ressure washers have anintake hose that draws in cleaners from a sepa-rate bucket. (Use a plastic bucket. Chemicals inthe cleaners can react to metal buckets.)

Sodium hydroxide works best as the deckstripper. You probably won't be able to findstraight sodium hydroxide, but you can find a

I O O E X T E R I o R S & D E C K S

I Pr"ssute-wash the railings with stripper. Keep the tip 6 to 10 in. from theI wood and work from the top down. Spray balusters at the corners to scour

two sides at once.

J spr.y one deck3 board at a timeusing a gentte ,r"".pingmotion. Avoid suddenstops. Work from theend of the deck towardthe exit. Then rinsethe entire deck with agarden hose.

? otn out trappedd debris from betweendeck boards with a puttyknife. Spray the decklightty with a mixture ofoxalic acid and water tobrighten the wood.

Page 104: 207 Money Saving Fixes

deck stripping product with sodium hydroxide as the activeingredient in almost any home center or paint store (see Buyer'sGuide, p. 103).

Some strippers need to be diluted with water. And somesodium hydroxide-based str ippers are premixed and don' trequire adding water. Read the label on the container to find outwhat's suggested for your stripper.

Protect your house and plantsBefore you begin cleaning, make repairs to your deck, such asreplacing cracked or split boards and broken balusters.

Then heavily douse the plants or grass under and aroundyour deck with water and cover them with plastic. Although moststrippers aren't supposed to harm vegetation, it's still a good ideato protect plants and it only takes a few minutes. Once you've fin-ished cleaning the deck, immediately remove the plastic.

Also spray down the siding with clean water before you beginto ensure that any stripper that splashes onto the house wil leasily wash off.

Scour away the old finishWith a 25- or 3O-degree tip in the wand of the pressure washerand a psi of 1 ,000 to 1,200, apply the stripper to the deck, starting

Rinse the siding and windows with clean water at lowpressure to remove chemical residue.

4 n"roue mold, mitdew or algae using non-chtorine bteach.Y Scrub the area with a nylon brush, then rinse with water.For tougher stains, repeat the process with a TSP substitute.

with the top rails and working down the balusters (Photo 1).

Spray the rails with a continuous, controlled motion. Keep thewand moving so you don't gouge the wood.

Once you finish the rail ings, start on the deck boards. Washalong the length of the boards (Photo 2). You'l l see the grime

washing offthe wood.Go over stubborn mildew or other stains a few times rather

than turning up the pressure or trying to heavily scour the wood.This stripping process washes away a small amount of the

wood's l ignin (the glue holding the wood fibers together).As thelignin washes away, the fibers stand up, giving the wood afuzzy

appearance.This fuzz will gradually shear off and blow away.After you've power-washed the entire deck, rinse all of the

wood with clean water to dilute and neutralize the stripper. lfthere's still debris trapped between deck boards, such as leavesor twigs, remove it now (Photo 3).

Brighten the woodA deck brightener will return the wood to its newly sawn colorand make it more receptive to the stain. Use an oxalic acid-basedbrightener, which is available at home centers and paint stores(see Buyer's Guide, p. 103). lt works fast, won't harm the wood andis environmentally safe in the diluted solution that you'l l use.

Sink any raised nails and screws. Replace loose and missingfasteners with screws at least ll2 in. longer than the originat.

lOriu" the heads of stain-causing fasteners below the woodf surface. Then sand out the stains using 8O-grit sandpaper.Also sand rough or splintered areas.

D E C K R E S C U E l O I

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Like s t r ippers , some deck br ighteners come premixed and

some need to be di luted with water. Read the label for the manu-

facturer 's recom mendations.

Change the t ip in the wand of the pressure washer to a fan t ip

with a 40- or 45-degree angle. Then set the pressure to about

1,000 psi and spray the deck, once again start ing with the top

rai ls and working down to the deck boards. Apply just enough

brightener to thoroughly wet the wood.

Oxalic acid wil l br ighten the wood in a matter of minutes and

does not requi re r ins ing. But your s id ing does. Rinse of f your s id-

ing with clean water at very low pressure (about 500 psi) to wash

away any str ipper or brightener overspray (Photo 4).

l f your wood is cedar or redwood, you' l l see a dramatic dif fer-

ence as the wood br ightens to i ts f resh-sawn co lor . The deck

shown here is pressure-treated pine, so the brightening of the

wood is less noticeable.

Inspect the whole deckWith the deck clean, i t 's easy to spot any areas that need addi-

t iona l maintenance. Dr ive any na i l heads that are popping up

unt i l they ' re f lush wi th the deck boards, or rep lace wi th deck

screws (p.98).Look for missing or loose screws, and replace them

with corrosion-resistant screws that are sl ightly longer than the

or ig ina l (Photo 5) . Replace miss ing na i ls wi th cor ros ion-res is tant"tr im head"screws,which are screws that have a small head and

resemble a large f in ish na i l .

l f lag screws or bolts are loose in the ledger board, rai ls orposts, t ighten them. Inspect the f lashing between your deck and

house to ensure i t 's st i l l f i rmly in place.

Choosing the best stainYou have two basic stain choices: o i l -based andwater-based. Oil stains are easier to apply, penetratethe wood grain and require less workwhen you reap-ply them. However,they only last two to four years.

Water-based (latex) stains last four to six years,but they'l l eventually peel and require more prepwork before recoating. Opaque latex stains generallylast longer than semitransparent versions.

When possible,test the stain on an inconspicuous. section of the decking. A cedar color worked well on

this deck since the wood was pressure treated andsomewhat dark in color. For a darker color, a red-wood-colored stain is available, while a honey coloris an option for a lighter, natural wood look.

Be careful not to choose a light color stain if yourdeck was previously covered with a dark stain or ispressure treated (green).The light stain will not coverthe dark wood or darker stain, and it wil l turn graywithin a few weeks.

lf you want a natural gray or silver deck, use aclear finish.lt wil l protect the deck from mildew andalgae, but not from the sun,allowing the deck to startgraying in a month or two.

I O 2 E X T E R I o R S & D E c K S

Attack stubborn stainsAlthough the sodium hydroxide in the deckcleanerwil l remove most

stains and mold, particularly stubborn ones require extra attention.

Use a non-ch lor ine laundry b leach to remove the s ta in . (Th is

works especial ly well i f the stain is from mold, mildew or algae.)

Apply i t to the affected area,then scrub with a nylon brush. Rinse

the area with water.

For tougher s ta ins, use t r isod ium phosphate subst i tu te . Mix

the TSP substi tute with water and apply i t to the stain. Let i t si t for

a minute or two, then scrub with a nylon brush and r inse with

water (Photo 6).

To remove deep stains that don't come out with TSP substi-

tute, let the deck dry.These"bleed"stains are often caused by fas-

teners. Sand the stains out, using 80-gri t sandpaper and concen-

trat ing only on the affected areas. Some bleeds may be too deep

to sand out . Rough or sp l in tered areas may a lso need sanding.

Spot-sand, working in the direct ion of the wood grain unti l the

surface is smooth (Photo 7).

Wear a dust mask, and sand only i f the stain bothers you.You

don't have to get every stain out. After al l , imperfections are part

of an outdoor deck.

Apply the f inish-final ly!The deck wi l l need a min imum of 48 hours to dry a f ter the c lean-

ing. l f i t rains, wait two more days for the wood to dry. Avoid

sta in ing in h igh heat , h igh humid i ty and in d i rect sun l ight . Per-

fect condit ions are an overcast day with the temperature in the

70s and no possibi l i ty of rain.

Start by staining the top rai ls and working down the balusters

and posts (Photo 8). Run the applicator pad down the length of

fl OOO,, stain to the top rail, then the balusters and the19 posts. Work from the top down. Stain one section at atime, using a foam applicator pad. Brush out drips as you work.

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the wood, applying the stain in a steady, uniform manner. Don't

go back over areas that are a l ready s ta ined. Unl ike pa in t , s ta in

gets darker with each coat.

l f stain drips onto the deck, smooth i t with the applicator pad

to avoid spott ing. Once the rai l ings are complete, stain the deck

boards. Load the pad with plenty of stain, yet not so much that i t

dr ips. Start by careful ly "cutt ing in" stain along the house. l f stain

dr ips onto the s id ing, prompt ly wipe i t o f f us ing a c lean c lo th and

minera l sp i r i ts or pa in t th inner .

At tach a broom handle to the appl icator pad. Gl ide the pad

a long t he l eng th o f t he deck boa rds , s ta i n i ng w i t h t he g ra in

(Photo 9). Stop only at the end of a board. Otherwise, the overlap

where you stopped and started could be noticeable.

Once the deck is f inished, apply stain to the stair treads, work-

ing your way down the stairs.

F ina l ly , use a pa in tbrush or spray bot t le to work s ta in in to

t ight areas that the applicator pad couldn't reach, such as latt ice

and crevices between balusters and the r im joist (Photo 10).

Al low the stain to dry at least 48 hours before walking on i t . Feel

the deck to make sure the stain is completely dry. Likewise, check

the bottom of your shoes before walking back into the house.

Buyer's Guide

The fol lowing companies offer a ful l l ine of products for cleaning and

f in ish ing decks , inc lud ing s t r ippers , b r igh teners and s ta ins .The produc ts a re

widely avai lable at home centers, hardware stores and paint stores. Each

company's Web site features a store locator to f ind the company's products.

Behr: (800) 854-0133, ext.2. behr.com.

Cabot: (800) 877 -8246. cabotstain.com.

Flood: (800) 32 1 -3444. f lood.com.

Wolman: wolman.com.

Pressure washer safetyTo use the pressure washer:I Wear appropriate safety gear and clothes. Rubber

boots and gloves wil l protect your hands and feet.

Safety goggles wil l keep the chemicals from splash-ing into your eyes, and a disposable respirator or

dust mask wi l l f i l ter fumes.I Keep the exhaust from the pressure washer at least

3 ft. away from any objects, including your house.I P r a c t i c e s p r a y i n g t h e w a t e r u n t i l y o u f i n d a n

appropriate power setting.I Never point the wand at anything you don't want

to spray.t Coverelectrical outlets.

O Stain the deck boards using a foam applicator/ extension handle. Stain the futt tength of twoboards at a time, working with the grain.

1 f1 Spray on the finish in hard-to-reach areas or surfacesI l, that are difficult to cover with a paintbrush. Use a wide

spray to avoid streaks. Work stain into crevices and narrowareas between balusters and posts with a paintbrush.

pad with anor three

D E C K R E S C U E 1 ( ' 3

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Strip fl aki ngdeckstaln

I C

I * the stain on your deck is weathered and peeling, the

I I first step in renewing your deck is to remove all theI I stain. Solid-color stains protect wood decks and look

great when nery but even the best begin to flake and wear awayeventually.At that point they need to be scraped and stripped offbefore the deck can be recoated.

First, scrape off as much of the old finish as you can with apaint scraper. As you scrape the wood, reset any nails or screwsthat stick out from the wood surface.

Next, strip the deck with a special deck finish remover (51 5 pergallon; 1 gallon covers 100 sq.ft.).Tape plastic over nearby siding,cover or wet down bushes and grass around the deck, thenspread a heavy coat of finish remover over the stained boards.Cover 20 to 30 sq.ft.at a time, keeping the wood wet until the fin-ish is soft enough to be scrubbed offwith a stiff brush (Photo 1).

Rinse the residue off with a hose and allow the deck to dry.Use a stripping disc on areas that are heavily discolored or wherethe stain doesn't come off (Photo 2).The rough discs work muchfaster than belt or orbital sanders. They're available for eitherangle grinders (the fastest option) or dri l ls (much slower).

Finally, apply a deck brightener/conditioner (Photo 3) to neu-tralize the stain remover and clean and restore the wood tosomething close to i ts or ig inal color. One gal lon (515) coversroughly 200 sq.ft.

After the wood dries, restain or apply a clear penetrating fin-ish. Clear finishes show more of the wood's original color butmust be reapplied every year. Solid stains protect the woodlonger but can be a pain to scrape off. Penetrating stains alsoneed to be reapplied more frequently, but unlike solid stains,they don't need to be stripped off.

! Scrub off old stain using a stiff brush and deck finishI remover. Give the remover 15 to 30 minutes to soften the

stain before you scrub.

Brush on a brightener/conditioner diluted in water. Scrub the decking andrinse thoroughly to restore the original wood color.

Sand off tough spots or smalt areas with acoarse stripping disc on a grinder or drilt.

IO4 EXTERIoRS & DECKS

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I Ctean the area around the leak with a stiff scraperI and a wire brush, then rinse off a[[ the dust and wipe

the area comptetely dry.

Cut the gutter repair tape long enough to overlap theleaky area by at least 6 in. in each direction.

Quickfixfor leaky metal guttersGutter leaks usually start at rusty spots or seams that have

opened up because of expansion and contract ion. l f your

gutter is sti l l basically sound, the easiest way to stop the leak

is by covering the damaged area with roof and gutter repair

tape (S15 to 530 a rol lat home centers and hardware stores).Prepare the gutter by scraping out as much old tar or

caulk as possible.Wire-brush the metal thoroughly to get rid

of rust and to give the tape a c lean surface for bonding(Photo 1). lf the gutter is badly rusted or has been heavily

coated with tar that you can't scrape out, spray on a special

adhesive primer before applying the tape (Protecto-Tek is

one brand, but you may need to special-order it).cut the tape with scissors or a uti l i ty knife (Photo 2).Tear

the paper backing off the tape and lightly adhere one edgeof the tape to the top of the gutter. Roll the tape down thewall of the gutter, pushing it f irmly into curves and corners(Photo 3) . Work wr ink les and bubb les f la t . Over lap long

seams by at least 1 in. and end seams by 4 in.

Starting at the center, press the tape firmty into place.Follow the contours of the gutter and smooth out all

wrinkles.3the

Better traction on concretePaint stores and home centers sell additives that you mix with a gallon ofany type of paint or solid-color stain to give you better traction on concretesurfaces, which helps prevent people from slipping. The additive won'tchange the color of the paint or stain, but it provides texture to improve

traction. Don't expect a completely slip-resistant surface,though.Stir the additive into the paint (one package per gallon),then apply the

paint with a paintbrush or roller. lf you're applying more than one coat, put

the additive in the final coat.The additive costs about 54.

Mix the nonskid ftoor additive with the paint. Then apply the paint to givethe surface a rough texture to help prevent slips.

S T R I P F L A K I N G D E C K S T A I N ; O U I C K F I X F O R L E A K Y M E T A L G U T T E R S ; B E T T E R T R A C T I O N O N C O N C R E T E l ( D 5

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9R39edoor

I Cut through any caulk tines with a utitityI knife, then pry off the old garage

doorstop, brick motd and jamb.

Replacerotting trim

Wood garage door jambs and t r imo f t e n r o t n e a r t h e b o t t o m o r g e tcrunched by bumpers.

A good, long-lasting solution is toreplace the wooden jamb, brick moldt r i m a n d d o o r s t o p w i t h p a i n t a b l esolid vinyl pieces that won't crack ordecay. Available at home centers andlumberyards, the three pieces cost atotal of about $4 per ft.-comparableto c lear wood. The vinyl can be cut,nailed and painted just l ike wood. lt 'savailable in white, but you can orderbrown, bronze and tan. Fil l nail holeswi th wh i te cau lk o r ex te r io r wood

fil ler, then if desired, prime and paintit with acrylic latex. Use a l ight paintcolor over white vinyl to keep it fromoverheating.

R e m o v e t h e o l d j a m b a n d t r i m(Photo 1), then nai l the v inyl jamb tothe f rame, beg inn ing w i th the toppiece (Photo 2). Fasten every 12 to 16in.with 8d galvanized nails or stainlesssteel trim screws. Precut the miters onthe top piece of brick mold trim andnail it to the framing every 12 in. with10d ga lvan ized cas ing na i l s . Use 6dcasing nails for the doorstop, nail ing itat the premarked points on the trim.

Use a clamp to hotd up one end of the top jamb, then nait the jamb to theframing with 8d gatvanized casing nails.

Q Spreaa PVC cement on both sidesJ of the mitered corners, then holdthem together until they bond.

I ( D 6 E X T E R I o R S & D E c K S

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-

l f the temperature is below 40 degrees

F du r i ng i ns ta l l a t i on , p red r i l l na i l ho les

and leave a 1 /8- in . gap at the ends of thejamb for expansion.

Glue the brick mold corners with PVC

cemen t (Pho to 3 ) , t hen na i l t hem in to

place after the glue sets. To avoid break-

ing the joint, wait at least an hour for the

glue to ful ly cure before nai l ing within a

foot of the corner. Spl ice long runs with

g lued but t jo in ts .

The edge of the vinyl doorstop should

be 2-112 in. back from the garage door so

the rubber sea l f i ts loose ly against the

door (Photo 4).

Clean up a rusty door trackGarage door tracks often rest directly on damp concrete floors, where they eventu-ally rust. However, there! no reason they can't be slightly above the floor and staydry:The garage rafters carry the weight of the track and the angle brackets holdthe track in place.

Clean up the tracks and prevent rusting by simply cutting off the bottom 1/2in.First make sure all the angle bracket bolts are tight, then cut the track bottoms off(Photo 1). Use a rag dipped in paint th inner to remove any lubr icant on the f i rst 6 in.of track, then scrape and brush off as much rust as you can. Finally, paint the bot-tom with a metal spray paint that's formulated to bond to rusted areas (Photo 2).Rust-Oleum Rust Reformer is one choice, and is available at home centers for $ 1 2.

Mark the bottom of the track, then cut the metal with a reciprocating sawor hacksaw.

Clean the bottom of the track with paint thinner, wire-brush the rust, andthen paint the area.

1

1ll Uarl. the width of the doorstop at-J severat points on the jamb, thennai[. Trim the overlapping rubber sealat the corners.

3 G A R A G E D O O R F I X E S I O 7

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Install newweather seal

lf the weather seal attached to the bottom ofyour steel garage door is torn or completelyf lat tened, i t 's t ime to replace i t wi th a newpiece. Home centers sell two types: a nail-onstyle for wood doors and a slide-in "bulb"typefor steel doors (510 to $20).

Li f t the door just enough that the garaged o o r t r a c k d o e s n ' t g e t i n t h e w a y o f t h eweather seal , then sl ide out the old rubber bulb(Photo 1). You may need to pry the track endsopen with a f lat screwdriver i f they've beencr imped. l f i t 's especial ly stubborn, cut i t andremove it in pieces.

Clean the door bottom (Photo 2), then cutthe new rubber sea l to length w i th a razorkn i fe . Thread the T-shaped edges in to theweather seal t rack, then sl ide the seal acrossthe door. Be patient-it takes a lot of pushingand pul l ing even with a helper. 1

WEATHER SEAITRACK

J S.r.p" dirt and corrosionG weather seal track with aa stiff brush.

out of thescrewdriver and

Lift the garage door to about 6 ft. high and pult the otd weather seal outthrough the gap behind the door track.

Lubricate the rubber with a few drops of dish soap, then push and pult thenew weather seal into the track.

1 O A E X T E R I o R S & D E C K S

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Replace damagedvi nyl sidlng

inyl s id i ng i s t ough , bu t no t

i n d e s t r u c t i b l e . l f a f a l l i n g

b ranch o r a we l l - h i t baseba l l

h a s c r a c k e d a p i e c e o f y o u r s i d i n g ,

you can make i t as good as new in about

15 minutes wi th a $5 z ip too l (ava i lab le

a t a n y h o m e c e n t e r ) a n d a r e p l a c e -

ment piece.

Star t ing a t one end of the damaged

piece, push the end of the z ip too l up

under the siding unti l you feel i t hook the

bo t tom l i p (Pho to 1 ) . Pu l l t he z i p t oo l

downward and out to unhook the bot -

t o m l i p , t h e n s l i d e i t a l o n g t h e e d g e ,

pul l ing the s id ing out as you go.Then unzip any pieces abovet h e d a m a g e d p i e c e . H o l dthem out of the way withyour elbow whi le you pry outt h e n a i l s t h a t h o l d t h e d a m a g e d

piece in place (Photo 2).

S l ide the rep lacement p iece up in to

p lace, pushing up unt i l the lower l ip locks

in to the p iece be low i t . Dr ive 1-1/4- in .

roof ing na i ls through the na i l ing f lange.

Space them about every 16 in . (near the

o ld na i l ho les) . Nai l in the center o f the

nai l ing s lo t and leave about 1 /32 in . o f

space be tween the na i l head and t he

siding so the vinyl can move freely. Don't

na i l the heads t ight ly or the s id ing won ' t

be able to move and wil l buckle when i t

warms up.

With the new piece nai led, use the zip

tool to lock the upper piece down over i t .

Star t a t one end and pu l l the l ip down,

twis t ing the too l s l ight ly to force

t h e l e a d i n g

Sl,ip a flat bar behind the vinylsiding and lever out the nails.

edge down (Photo 3). Sl ide the z ip toolalong, pushing in on the vinyl just behindthe tool with your other hand so it snapsinto place.

I t ' s b e s t t o r e p a i r v i n y l i n w a r mweather. In temperatures below freezingit becomes less flexible and may crack.

The downside of replacing older vinylsiding is that it can be hard to match thestyle and color, and siding rarely has anyidentifying marks. The best way to get areplacement piece is to take the brokenpiece to vinyl siding distributors in yourarea and find the closest match. lf the oldvinyl has faded or you can't f ind the rightcolor, take the broken piece to a paint

store and have the color matched. Paintthe replacement piece with one coat oftop-qual i ty acryl ic pr imer fo l lowed byacry l i c house pa in t -acry l i c pa in t w i l lf lex with the movement of the vinyl.

I Stia. the zip toot atong the bottomI edge to release the vinyl siding from

the piece below it.

Q Intt.tt the replacement piece andJ hook the tip of the upper sidingpiece into the slot to lock it into place.

3 G A R A G E D O O R F I X E S ; R E P L A C E D A M A G E D V I N Y L S I D I N G 1 ( D 9

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Replace ashlngle

.i,L#% broken sh ing le i s bo th ug ly and a leak

#to#,t, waiting to happen. But as long as you canff i ' g. f inO matching shingles (and you're notafraid of heights),the repair is straightforward.

Pick a day when the weather is moderate to dothe repair-too cold and the shingles can crack; toowarm and the shingle sealants are tough to break.

Loosen the tabs under the broken shingle and thenext two courses above it (Photo 1). Shingles are fas-tened with eight nails each-four at the center justabove the tab s lo ts and four th rough the sh ing leabove it-and you have to l ift up all the shingles thatcover those nails to remove them.

After all the tabs are loose, push the flat bar upunder the damaged shingle to each nai l , center ingthe nail in the flat bar notch (Photo 2).To avoid rip-ping shingles, gent ly work the f lat bar under bothtabs as you push it up.

Pop out the nails by prying underneath the shin-gle instead of trying to dig the nail head out from thetop of the shingle; that wil l wreck the shingle. Thenpush the shingle down from the nail head and pullout the nail. After removing the center row of nails onthe damaged shingle, l i f t the undamaged shinglesabove it and remove the next row of nails.Then pullout the damaged shingle.

Slide the new shingle up into place. Nail the cen-ter row first, then the center row of the course aboveit, nail ing 1/2in. over from the old holes (Photo 3).Nail at the top of the slots between the tabs, justabove the sealant strip.

1Gently tap a flat bar under the shingles to break the sealant strips free.Don't force it-shingles rip easily.

Wedge the notch of the flat bar under the shingle at the nail head,then pry up both the shingte and the nail.

Nail down the new shingle, propping the tabs above as you nailto avoid breaking them.

TYPICAL NAILLOCATIONS

3I I O E X T E R I o R S & D E c K S

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Replace plumbing

ventfhshinglumbing vent flashings are notorious spots forroof leaks. lf you have a leak in the general areaof a plumbing vent, check the condition of the

vent flashing. Look for rust holes or gaps around metalvents (required for cast iron waste lines).lf you have rub-bervents (which are used for plastic pipe),checkto see ifthey have become brittle and cracked.

Both types extend under at least two courses of shin-gles, so you'l l usually need to remove a few shinglesabove the flashing to get the old one out. Be extra care-ful not to rip any shingles. (Even if you can find new shin-gles in the same style,the color won't match perfectly.)

Loosen the tabs on the shingles above the ventfirst.Those shingles won't be removed, but you'll need toget under those tabs to get at the nails on the shinglesdirectly below. Work from the top down, removing anyshingles covering the vent flashing.Getting the tabs freewithout ripping them is the only tricky part. Work a flatbar slowly under the bottom lip of each tab and slip itthrough the adhesive to break the seal from one side tothe other. Don't try to pry up the whole tab at once or itwill rip. Once the tabs are free, slip the flat bar under theshingle and tap it up under the nail head. Pop the shin-gle and nail up,then pull the flat bar out from under theshingle and pop the nail head up from above the shin-gle. Don't worry if you accidentally tear the nail headthrough the shingle.When you replace the shingle, justput the nail in slightly above the hole and fi l l the oldhole with caulk.

Slip a flat bar under the edge of the vent f lashing andpop the nails up (Photo 1). Pull the old flashing up overthe vent pipe and scrape any old caulk and debris off theroof. Slide the new flashing over the vent pipe and underthe shingles above the pipe. Center the pipe in the flash-ing and push the flexible front corners up or down sothat the flashing pipe is parallel to the vent pipe. (Rub-ber vent flashing automatically adjusts to any pitch.) Liftthe vent enough to spread caulk under the sides (butnot the bottom edge),then nail with three l-1l4-in. roof-ing nails per side (Photo 2). Put one nail in the bottomedge with a dab of caulk under it to seal the hole.

Set the top part of the vent on the pipe. Make surethe inside of the lead collar f its inside the pipe, thent ighten the pipe clamp. Final ly, replace the shingles(Photo 3).

Remove one or two shingles above the vent flashing, then pry outthe vent, being careful not to damage the shingles.

Spread caulk under the sides (but not the bottom) of the flashingand then nait it in place. Caulk the nail heads.

lD stide tt ed shingles thatwere removedback into placeand renail.

1

R E P L A C E A S H I N G L E ; R E P L A C E P L U M B I N G V E N T F L A S H I N G I I I

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Rid your home of pestsWasps move inThe magic bullet for getting rid of wasps (yellow jackets) andbees is to destroy their nest.This is easier said than done. Beesand wasps are notorious for hiding their nests inside walls orhigh under shingles and eaves,where they're difficult to get at.

The trick to finding the nest is to observe their movementsclosely. You'll soon spot where they zoom into the wall of yourhouse.Once you locate the nest,spray it with an insecticide that'sformulated for killing bees and wasps. Pick one up at a hardwarestore or nursery.The best time to spray is at night when the beesare less active and inside the nest.

Be aware that these insects can be extremely aggressive,especial ly when their home is under at tack. Some can st ingrepeatedly, and those stings can cause severe reactions if you'reallergic. lf you're on a ladder or on the roof, the last thing youwant is an angry storm of bees coming after you!

In difficult situations, have the nest professionally removed.lfyou decide to spray the nest yoursell make sure to wear protec-tive clothing, including face protection,to guard against stings.

Woodpecker headachelf you're having problems with woodpeckers at your house, thefirst thing to know is what you can't do. The Federal MigratoryBird Treaty Act, as well as some state laws, protects woodpeckers,which means it 's unlawful to harm them. (So don't go for thepellet gun!)

Woodpeckers make holes in wood shingles or siding becausethey're looking for food, or more l ikely,'drumming"to mark theirterritory. Unfortunately, there's no simple way to get rid of them.Your best option is to harass the birds into leaving.

First, fasten sheet metal over the areas the birds are pecking.Also hang mirrors and Mylar tape nearby, for example, from thefascia (or tuck it under the next row of shingles). Shiny l ights andref lect ions somet imes scare woodpeckers away, as do owldecoys. Frankly, however, these remedies don't always work, andthe longer the woodpeckers have been at your house,the harderit will be to get them to leave.

To further harass the birds, shoo them away with a broom.lfyou're persistent,the birds will eventually move on.

PITEATEDWOODPECKER

I I 2 S P E c I A L S E C T I o N : B U G & P E S T c o N T R o L

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Seal up pipe penetrations to keep out pestsLook behind any air conditioner compressor or heat exchanger and you'l l f ind atleast one large hole for plumbing and wiring.lt 's usually bigger than it needs to beand sometimes only partially plugged with a large wad of electrician's putty, makingit a good spot for heat to get out and mice to get in.

Make these holes more weathertight and less unsightly with a 1-1/2-in. rubberplumbing boot (available for 54 in the roofing section in home centers).

Gent ly work out the putty (Photo 1)to avoid damaging the pipes or wir ing.Replace torn or missing pipe insulation.

Using scissors or a uti l i ty knife, cut the plumbing boot to fit around the hole andto match the width of the piece of siding (Photo 2). Cut a slit in the bottom edge sothe plumbing boot wil l f i t around the pipes.

Spread sil icone caulk on all four sides of the hole and at the slit at the bottom tocompletely seal the edges (Photo 3).You may need to tape the rubber to the sidingtemporarily unti l the caulk dries.

Let the caulk dry overnight, then partially f i l l the boot with foam; seal the holefrom the inside as well. Use minimal-expanding foam to avoid opening the slit in therubber boot, and push the tip several inches in so the foam expands into the holeinstead ofout the top ofthe boot (Photo 4).

1Pry out old putty and caulk fromaround the pipes and wires.

Fit the plumbing boot over thepipes, then fasten it to the siding100 percent silicone cautk.

1 Cut the rubber ptumbing boot to3 tit on top of the siding andaround the hole.

/l A*", the caulk dries, squirtt! a smau amount or mrnrmar-expanding foam into the opening.

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Horde of the fliesCluster f l ies, a lso known as at t icf l ies , a re a t t rac ted to l igh t andwarmth.They're about 5/16 in.longa n d h a v e y e l l o w h a i r s o n t h e i rabdomens.They gravitate to sec-ond-floor windows, which are usu-a l l y t h e w a r m e s t s p o t s i n t h ehouse. The f l ies breed outside inthe ground during late spring andearly summer and have a l ife spanof 27 to 39 days. In the fa l l , theyf ind a way indoors through smal lc racks around doors , w indows,soffits and siding.

The best t ime to stop clusterfl ies is before they come indoors.Caulk cracks around the founda-tion, siding, exterior trim and otherpoten t ia l en t ry po in ts . Rep laceweather stripping as necessary toseal around doors and windows.lfthat doesn't work, spray an insecti-cide formulated for flies around theouts ide o f your doors and w in-dows, soffits, eaves and cracks inthe siding.

l f large numbers st i l l come in,a n i n s e c t i c i d e s u i t a b l e f o r u s eindoors is the only effective wayto eradicate them. Or cal l a pro-fessional exterminator to handlethe problem.

R I D Y O U R H O M E O F P E S T S ; S E A L U P P I P E P E N E T R A T I O N S T O K E E P O U T P E S T S l l 3

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Stop moles from tearing up your yardMoles can eat their weight in worms and grubs every day, so theyfind healthy, well-watered lawns-which are full of worms andgrubs-very attractive. Tunneling as fast as a foot per minuteunder the sod, one mole can make an average yard look like anarmy invaded it.

To their credit, moles do a good job of aerating the soil andcontrolling Japanese beetle larvae and other harmful bugs, andthey don't eat flowers or plants. lf youcan live with them, they generally won'tcause any serious,long-term damage toyour yard. However, if you can't, you'llhave to trap or remove them.The popu-lation densityof moles is generally no morethan three per acre, so catching evenone might take care of the problem.

L ive t rapp ing by se t t ing a deepbucket under an active tunnel is some-times effective.To set up a live trap, diga hole at the tunnel deep enough to seta 2- to 5-gallon bucket below the level ofthe tunne l . Pack the d i r t a round theedge of the bucket, then cover the hole

Moles dig tunnels just under the turf,searching for worms and grubs.

with sod or plywood so you can check the hole daily. The molewill fall in, and then you can take it to a new location.

However,the most effective,time-tested method is to set up aspring-loaded prong or choker-loop trap that is activated whenthe mole pushes against it. Several types of mole traps are avail-able at amazon.com, home centers and hardware stores.

For the spring trap, f latten an area of the tunnel slightlybigger than the base ofthe trap and setthe trap over it. Follow the manufac-turer's directions to arm the trap, thencover it with a 5-gallon bucket to keepkids and pets away. Remove it and themole after it's been triggered, or try a dif-ferent tunnel if it hasn't been triggeredafter several days.

Whether you set up a live or a spring-loaded trap,the first step is to locate theactive tunnels. Step on the tunnels yousee in one ortwo spots to collapse them,then check those spots the next day. lfthe tunnel has been dug out again, it's anactive one, and a good spot to set a trap.

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Keep raccoons outRaccoons will eat almost anything and are always on the lookout for a good nesting site, so houses, with all their nooks andcrannies and overflowing garbage cans and backyard vegetable gardens, are very appealing. Light, water, noise and chemicalrepellents may work in the short term, but raccoons eventually learn to ignore them.The best way to discourage these pests isto make your house and garden inaccessible.t Cut back overhanging tree branches and brush so raccoons can't get onto the roof.I Add chimney caps, or replace them if they're damaged. Fireplace chimneys make great dens for pregnant raccoons.lf you

hear or see raccoons in the firebox in the spring or summer, you may need to wait until the fall for the raccoons to leavebefore capping the chimney, or else call an animal control specialist.

t Block crawl spaces and other possible entry spots withsecurely nailed 1/4-in.-mesh hardware cloth. Wait until thefall after the babies are out but before hibernation, or untilyou're sure the raccoons are gone.

I Raccoons eat garbage, pet food, fruits and vegetables, andfish from garden ponds. Make trash cans inaccessible. Coverfish ponds with netting. Don't leave pet food outside.

I Protect vegetable gardens, especially if you're plantingsweet corn, with wire electric fencing (consult the manufac-turer's instructions for spacing and wiring instructions).Fencing is available from farm supply stores and Internetsuppliers.

I lf raccoons have already made a den in your attic or crawlspace, put a radio, f lashing l ights, ammonia, mothballs orcommercially available repellents in it,then give them a fewnights to leave. To make sure they're gone, stuff the entrywith newspapers. lf the paper is sti l l in place after a fewdays,the raccoons have left.

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I I 4 S P E c I A L S E C T I o N : B U G & P E S T c o N T R o L

Page 118: 207 Money Saving Fixes

\:..Tl r

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saun9products

fixesStop throwing cash outthe w indow!

Stop window and door drafts

Switch to CFL butbs

Warm up a cold room

Furnace f i t ter reminder

Heat-reducing window f i [m

Reptace your weather str ip

Cut energy bitls with aprogram mabLe thermostat

Monitor electric usageStop a draf t in 60 seconds

Instal l a dimmer switch

Insutate r im jo ists and cutheat loss

energy-

1 1 5

Page 119: 207 Money Saving Fixes

rowtn9out the window!

ealing most air leaks is surpr is ingly easy and wi l l cutyour energy bil ls. Sealing leaks also reduces drafts, mak-ing your home more comfortable, even with your ther-

mostat at a lower temperature setting. And using that lower set-ting wil l save you more money.

Here you'l l learn about products and techniques for sealingyour house against energy loss.You can do all eight of these proj-ects in a single weekend-most take less than an hour and costless than S20. Considering what you'l l save each year in heating

5 1 0 . U s u a l l y t h e h a r d e s t p a r t a b o u treplacing them is taking off the door.

S t a r t b y a d j u s t i n g t h e t h r e s h o l d .Newer versions have screws that raiseand lower i t . Turn a l l o f the th resho ldscrews unti l the door opens and closeswithout much drag and any draft is elimi-n a t e d . l f t h a t d o e s n ' t w o r k , o r y o u rt h r e s h o l d d o e s n ' t h a v e a d j u s t m e n tscrews, replace the door sweep.

Close the door and pop out the hingepins with a nail to remove the door. Setthe door on a work surface and removethe old door sweep. Caulk the ends of the

Raise or lower the threshold by turningthe adjustment screws.

opt

Stop under-the-door air leakslf you can feel the breeze and see daylight under your entry door,it 's costing you big-time. lt also means you need to adjust yourdoor threshold or install a new door sweep. Door sweeps start at

and a i r condi t ion ing costs , you ' l l see a good re turn on your

investment. Most of the products shown here are avai lable athome centers;the rest can be ordered onl ine.

lf you combined all of the air leaks in a typical house-up the chimney, out the dryer vent, under the frontdoor-it would be the equivalent of leaving a windowopen allday long!

door, then instal l the replacement sweep. Some sweeps aretapped into place and stapled along the door bottom; others arescrewed to the side along the door bottom.

1 ] feet out the ol,dl tne replacementends with a couple of

door sweep. Tap insweep and stapte the7/z-in. staples.

I I 6 E N E R G Y - S A V I N G P R o D U c T S & F I X E S

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Seal leakywindows with removable caulkorfi lmSolut ion 1:L e a k y w i n d o w s a r e o n e o f t h ebiggest sources of energy lossin a typical home. lf you don'twant to cover your ent i rewindow, a quick, low-costs o l u t i o n i s t o s e a l t h eg a p s w i t h r e m o v a b l ecaulk. A 54.50 tube sealsfive 3 x 5-ft.windows.

A p p l y t h e c a u l k o v e rt h e c r a c k s b e t w e e n t h e

&b

movable parts of the window(sashes) and the stat ionary parts

(jamb) and between the two sashes.Keep the bead between 3/16 and 1/2 in. wide.Don't run your finger over the bead after caulk-ing (the caulk wil l be harder to remove later).Inthe spring, simply pull off the caulk. Clean offany residue with mineral spirits.

Solut ion 2:lf you don't l ike the look of caulk on your win-

dows al l winter long, cover them with plast ic

f i lm instead. A S13 kit covers f ive 3 x 5-ft . win-

dows. The p last ic a lso reduces window con-

densat ion and can be used wi th cur ta ins or

bl inds.The f i lm is avai lable for the exterior and

interior. l f you can't f ind i t at your local

home center o r hardware s to re ,o rder i t a t acehardware .com

( i tem 5273115) .A p p l y d o u b l e - s i d e d

t a p e ( i n c l u d e d ) t o t h ewindow cas ing . Cut thefi lm roughly to size withsc issors , leav ing a fewextra inches on each side.

Start ing at a top corner,apply the fi lm firmly to the

tape around all four sides ofthe window. Use a hair dryer to

remove the wrinkles.When winter isover, take down the plastic and pull the tapeoffthe casing.The tape removes easily withoutdamaging the f in ish.

S T o P T H R O W I N G C A S H O U T T H E W I N D O W ! I I 7

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Caulk and cover room air conditionersA room air conditioner keeps a section of thehouse cool.The problem is, it ' l l keep the roomcool all winter long if i t isn't covered properly.lfyou have a window unit, the best solution is toremove it so the cold air won't f low throughand around it. l f you decide to leave it in or youhave a permanent ly instal led wal l uni t , grabsome removable caulk and a 54 window airconditioner cover to keep out the cold.

Place the cover over the outside of the airconditioner, f itt ing the sewn-in corner strapsover the bo t tom corners . Wrap the midd lestraps under and up the sides of the unit, thenhook them over the top . Ins ide the house,apply removable caulk around the air condi-tioner where it meets the wall or window.lf theair conditioner is a built- in unit, permanentlyseal it with latex caulk.

Fill gaps under sinksPull back the escutcheons on plumbing pipes where they enterexterior walls and you'l l probably see generous gaps around thepipes.In cold weather,you might also feel the draft coming in.Allit takes is some S7-a-can expanding foam to seal those leaks.

Shake the can vigorously, then squirt the foam around thepipes inside the wall. Don't completely fi l l the gap-the foamwi l l expand. l f i t expands too much and you can ' t ge t theescutcheon back on, wait for it to dry, then slice it f lush with thewallwith a uti l i ty knife.

Finding air leaksLocating air leaks in U. tricky. They're often so small as to behardly noticeable.To find them,follow a trailof smoke.

Close all the windows in the house, turn off all the fans andexhaust fans, and shut off the furnace. Light some incense andwalk slowly around the outer walls of the house. Anywhere younot ice the smoke b lowing away f rom someth ing or be ingsucked toward something, there's probably an air leak. Now thatyou've found it, seal it!

I I 8 E N E R G Y - S A V I N G P R o D U C T S & F I X E S

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up the chimneyFireplace chimneys can be very inef f i -

c i e n t , l e t t i n g y o u r w a r m i n s i d e a i rdisappear l ike smoke up a chim-

ney. lf you have airt ight glassdoors that seal the open-

, ing, you're in good' '

s h a p e . ( T h e d o o r sa r e a v a i l a b l e s t a r t i n g a t

S230 at f i replace retai lers andhome centers.) lf not, a special balloon

or chimney-top damper wil l get the job done.For fireplace chimneys that are seldom or never used, inflate

a Chimney Bal loon inside the chimney to stop the air leaks.Pr ices s ta r t a t S40. Buy i t d i rec t l yfrom the company (608-467-0229;

chimneybal loon.us). Part ia l ly inf latethe balloon by mouth or with a pump,

then stick it into the chimneya n d b l o w i t u p t h e r e s t o fthe way.

Putt ing in and taking outthe reusab le ba l loon can bemessy, so you don' t want tohassle with chimney balloonsif you regularly use your fire-place. But that doesn' t meanyou have to settle for energyloss. Instead, you can install achimney-top damper system,l i ke the Ch im-a- la to r , wh ichseals the top of the flue whenthe ch imney 's no t in use . Alever in the fireplace controlsthe damper v ia a longc a b l e . P r i c e s s t a r t a tS 1 80. Type "chim-a-lator"into any search engine tof ind distr ibutors or buyfrom chimalators. com.

l n s t a l l a t i o n i n v o l v e s

a t t a c h i n g t h e d a m p e r

a n d s c r e e n e d - i n c a p

t o t h e c h i m n e y t o p ,

then mounting the lever

i n t he f i r ep lace . l f you

don ' t f ee l comfo r tab le

w o r k i n g o n t h e r o o f ,

h i r e a c h i m n e y s w e e p

o r m a s o n , w h o c a n

instal l the system for

about 5400.

Stop airflow lnstallan airtightdryer ventDon't expect the thin metal f lap on your dryer vent to keep outthe cold. Lint or dents in the flap can keep it from fully closing,

#ffievBALLOON

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a l l o w i n g o u t s i d e a i r i n .Wind blows them open too.For a more reliable air seal,i n s t a l l a $ 1 5 . 2 5 e n e r g y -efficient unit from CreativeEnergy Technologies (51 8-287 -1428; cetsola r .com).A cup inside the vent sealst h e o p e n i n g w h e n t h edryer 's o f f , then " f loa ts "when i t 's on to direct thewarm, moist air out the bot-tom of the unit.

R e m o v e t h e o l d v e n tand install the new one (it

takes less than 10 minutes).The vent comes with easy-to - fo l low ins ta l la t ion in -s t ruc t ions . The companyguarantees i t wi l l keep outbirds, rodents and bugs too.You can paint it to match your house.

Fill gaps aroundelectrical boxesThe gaps around electrical boxes in exterior walls and ceil ingsare breezeways for cold air. lf the gap between the electrical boxand the drywall is less than 1/4 in., f i l l i t with latex caulk.lf thegap is bigger and lopsided, use foam sealant that's formulated

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f o r u s e a r o u n ddoors and w indowf r a m i n g . T h e m i n i -m a l l y e x p a n d i n gf o a m w o n ' t d r i pdown your walls.

Turn o f f thepower to the electri-c a l b o x a n d u s e anoncontact voltaget e s t e r t o e n s u r et h e r e ' s n o p o w e r . R e m o v e t h ecover plate. Spray the foam aroundthe box to seal i t . Af ter i t dr ies, cutaway any protruding foam, add a foamgasket (to reduce drafts through the box) and replace the cover

p la te . Do the same around reg is ter openings on the ins ide of

exterior walls,

S T o P T H R O W I N G C A S H O U T T H E W I N D O W ! I I 9

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' Pry away the trim gently witha flat pry bar. Protect watls

with a shim or a scrap of wood asyou gradually work the trim awayfrom the wall.

I 2O ENERGY-SAVING PRoDUcTS &

Pu[l nails out through the backside of trim with nippers or

pliers. Also write the tocation ofeach piece of trim on the back side.

F I X E S

*. .i;l&14i,ilt'i"' ' ; : l : ,

your windows or doors are a sourceof chi l ly draf ts al l winter long, theproblem could be worn-out seals,

weather str ipping or thresholds. Then again,s loppy instal lat ion might be to blame. Whencold weather arr ives, hold the back of yourhand near the edges of windows or doors totrack down the source of leaks.lf you feel coldair f lowing out from behind the trim, chancesare the spaces around the window and doorjambs weren't properly sealed.

Plugging these leaks is a t ime-consumingjob: You have to pull off the interior trim, sealaround the jambs and then reinstal l the t r im.But if your doors and windows are otherwisefairly airt ight,the payoff can be big too.

First investigate further:Remove one pieceof trim from a window or a door. To preventch ipp ing or tear ing pa in t , cu t th rough thepaint f irst (Photo 1).

CAUTION:Lead pa in t ch ips are hazardous. l f yourhome was bui l t before 1978, cal l your

local health department for informationon test ing and handling lead paint safely.

Put[ insulation from between the jamband the wall framing. Sea[ the gap around

the jamb with foam seatant.

Slice through paint where the trim meets the wallin your utitity knife and make several passes over

windowand door ;

and jamb. Put a new bladeheavy paint buildup.

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Switch to CFL bulbsCompact f luorescent bu lbs-usually referred to by the initials,CFl-traveled the rocky path ofmost new products.lnit ially theywere expensive (as much as 515apiece) and fraught with prob-

lems (they appeared "dim," flick-ered, didn' t come on instant lya n d b u r n e d o u t s o o n e r t h a npromised).

But that was then. New tech-nology has solved most of theo ld p rob lems. Today CFLs areo n e o f t h e e a s i e s t a n d m o s teffective ways of saving moneyon energy. lt's as easy as screw-i n g i n a b u l b a n d f l i p p i n g aswitch. Many CFLs can be pur-chased for around 53 at homecenters and some utility compa-nies offer discounts or rebates tocustomers who buy them.

Slip a stiff putty knife under the trim and lift i t enough toinsert a flat pry bar. Don't simply force up one end of the piece.Instead,work along the length of the piece, moving your pry barand lift ing the trim off gradually (Photo 2). At mitered corners,watch for nails driven through the joint. To prevent these nailsf r o m s p l i t t i n g m i t e r e d e n d s , p r y u p b o t h m i t e r e d p i e c e stogether.Then pullthem apart.When you're removing nails fromthe trim, pull them through the back side to avoid damaging the

face of the tr im (Photo 3).

"_ Tack each section of trim exactty in its original position with a couple of,.,",:l nails. Ridges in the watl paint can hetp you atign each piece perfectty. Makesure the parts fit together tightly at the corners before you add more naits.

With one piece removed, examine the space between thejamb and the wallframing.lf the drywall covers the space,trim itback with a utility knife. lf you see only a few loose wads of fiber-glass insulation or no insulation at all between the jamb and fram-ing, it 's l ikely that all your windows and doors are poorly sealed.

To sealthe gap, remove the remaining trim, pull out any insu-lation and inject foam sealant (Photo 4). Some sealants wil l pushjambs inward as they expand, so be sure to use one tha t ' sintended for windows and doors (check the label). DAP Tex Plus

($7) is one option because it 's easy to clean upwi th a damp rag . Most expand ing foams arenearly impossible to clean up before they harden.

Let the foam harden and trim off any excessfoam with a knife before you reinstall the trim.Posi t ion each piece exact ly as i t was or ig inal lyand tack each piece up with only two nails (Photo

5).When all the pieces are in place, check their f it.With only a couple of nails in each piece,you canm a k e s m a l l a d j u s t m e n t s b y h o l d i n g a b l o c kagainst the t r im and tapping i t wi th a hammer.Then add more nails.

lf your trim has a clear finish, f i l l the nail holeswith a matching colored fi l ler such as Color Puttyor DAP Finishing Putty (53).With painted trim, it 'sb e s t t o f i l l t h e h o l e s w i t h s p a c k l e ( S 3 )

and repaint.

S T O P W I N D O W A N D D O O R D R A F T S ; S W I T C H T O C F L B U L B S 7 2 1

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mrmupa cold room

ugged by a chi l ly room in the winter? l f you have towear an extra pair of heavy socks in the family room orhuddle under the covers a t n ight , you ' re not a lone.

It 's not always easy or cheap, but there's always a way tochase those ch i l ls . Here you ' l l f ind the causes (F igure A)and the so lu t ions (F igure B, p . 124) . P lus, you ' l l d is -cover the least expensive options, what you can doyourse l f and when to ca l l in a heat ing exper t .Thefocus here is on homes wi th forced-a i r heat ingsystems, that is , homes wi th b lowers and duct -work. However, many of these solut ions wil l work inhomes heated by other systems.

Problems in the duct systemObstructions. l t may seem obvious, but you might

have forgot ten that you c losed the reg is ter dur ingthe cool ing season (1) . Embarrass ing! But more of tenthe cu lpr i t is a t the furnace in the form of a c loggedf i l te r or d i r ty a i r -condi t ion ing co i l that 's b lock ingthe a i r f low (2) . l t ' s easy to change the f i l te r , butyou can ' t c lean the co i l yourse l f , and on manyfurnaces you can't see i t wel l enough to tel l i f i t 'sd i r ty . Rely on profess ional serv ice every year ortwo to detect a dirty coi l .

Sofas, desks and chai rs as wel l as drapes canblock the a i r f low at reg is ters (3) . P last ic def lec-tors or reg is ters wi th d i f ferent " throw" pat terns

aren ' t a lways at t rac t ive, but o f fer par t ia l so lu-t ions. Or move the furn i ture ; i t ' s s impler thanmoving the register.

Somet imes const ruct ion debr is fa l ls in tothe ducts and the bui lders forget to f ish i tout (4). Unscrew the register and look downwi th a f lash l ight , or reach in to the duct wi th agloved hand to retr ieve anything you can feel.

Badly balanced dampers. Every duct system issupposed to have dampers to ba lance the heat f low toeach room (5). In fact, in some systems you have to adjustthe dampers twice a year, when you go from air-condit ioningmode to the heat ing mode and back again . Look for the dampersnear the main t runk l ines. Cont ractors usual ly labe l the cor rect pos i -t ion. But not a lways. Open the damper far ther for the duct serv ing the

7 2 2 E N E R G Y - S A V I N G P R o D U C T S & F I X E S

Figure ACommon causes o f co ld rooms

,1.

13

€ilsP.rSt'-?

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Problemsl. Closed register 6. Thermostat located in a 1 I. Poor attic or wall insulation

2. Furnace filter or air-conditioning warm area 12, Cold floor over crawlspace

coi ld i r tyandclogged 7. Ducthastoomanybendsor is 13. Coldbasement

3. Drapes and furniture block too small 14, No air chutes or poorly

heat flow 8. No cool-air return installed chutes

4. Cloggedducts 9. Draftywindows 15. Heatlossduetoleaks

5. Dampers closed down 10. Addition has many windows 16. Uninsulated floor

WARM UP A COLD ROOM I23

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cold room. Unfor tunate ly , dampers are o f ten covered dur ingremodel ing, or h idden under insu la t ion in the a t t ic . You mighthave to cal l in a heating contractor to help out.

"Hot" thermostat. lf the thermostat area heats up fast, it'l lshut o f f the furnace before o ther rooms warm up (6) . C losenearby registers to lessen the warm airf low near the thermostat,and ad just the reg is ter louvers in o ther rooms to he lp ba lancethe heat f low. A $3 room thermometer is handy for comparingtemperatures from room to room.

Bad duct des ign. Des ign prob lems can inc lude too manybends in a run (7) and inadequate coo l a i r re turns (8) .Whi le F ig-ure B suggests des ign so lu t ions, be sure to consul t a heat ing con-t ractor for adv ice on the best methods and mater ia ls . But go

through the rest o f th is l is t f i rs t . You might f ind a s impler , lessexpens ive so lu t ion.

Bad windowsLeaky, ineff icient windows are notorious heat drains, especial ly ino lder homes (9) . Stop draf ts wi th cau lk and weather s t r ipp ingand add heavy drapes i f necessary. Replacing worn-out win-dows with new, energy-eff icient windows often solves thecold room prob lem.

But even good windows can't always make up for thehea t l oss i n a room w i t h a l o t o f g l ass (10 ) . Fo r t heserooms, you may have to cons ider addi t iona l ducts , or anaddit ional heater with a separate thermostat. Both areexpensive and require the advice of a heating pro.

Bad insulat ionFinding out you have poor insu la t ion is f rus t ra t ing, becauseinsu la t ion was easy to ins ta l l when your house was bu i l t ,but i t ' s d i f f icu l t and expens ive to add i t now (11) . At t icinsu la t ion is an except ion. l f your a t t ic has 6 in . or . . )less, add at least another 6 in. of f iberglass or cel-

. . ;-

l u l ose t o wa rm up co ld rooms d i rec t l y be low .O the r excep t i ons i nc l ude c raw lspace o r f l oo rinsulat ion for cold f loors over a crawlspace (12),

and r im jo is t insu la t ion for basements (13) .

While you're up in your att ic, make sure you havevent chutes and that they're properly posit ioned (14).

Cold a i r b lowing through the insu la t ion can ch i l l thecei l ing of the room below.

Insu la t ion ins ta l lers o f ten fa i l to c lose up ce i l inggaps, and warm a i r leaks out (15) .Seal areas aroundl ight f ix tures, p lumbing p ipes, ducts and other gapsin to a t t ics wi th cau lk or expanding foam. Usual lyyou can reach these only from the att ic.

Bad mixing & cold slabsWi thou t good m ix i ng , wa rm a i r r i ses and coo l a i rfal ls, chi l l ing your feet, especial ly in rooms with tal l cei l-ings and on uninsulated concrete f loors. l f the airf low fromthe reg is ters doesn ' t do the job, s low-moving ce i l ing fans (16)

can get the warm air down to the f loor where you need i t .

r Q

Up Feetwarmer with higher humidity. By increasingthe amount of humidity in your home during thecolder seasons you'll feel warmer. Additional interiormoisture can make a room set at 68 degrees F feel5 to 8 degrees warmer.

F igure BWays to warm up a co ld room

7 2 4 E N E R G Y - S A V I N G P R o D U C T S & F I X E S

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Solut ions1. Open the register. 7. Install larger ducts where possi- 12. lnsulate floor if crawlspace is2. Change furnace fi l ter and check ble; add more runs if possible. vented, or insulate crawlspace

fordir tyaircondi t ioningcoi lwi th 8. Undercut door3/4 in.oradd per imeter i f c losedoff .f lashlight;callaprotocleanthecoil. louvers;adding new return ducts 13. Insulate rim joists in basement;

3. Add plastic deflector (55 at home is diff icult. add more registers in basement.centers or heating supply dealers) 9. Caulk and weatherstrip windows 14, Install attic vent chutes.and rearrange furniture. or replace with tighter, higher 15. Seal leaks to attic at plumbing

4, Clean out debris as far as you efficiency units. stacks,around lights and chimneys.can reach. 10. Increase heat f low if possible; 16. Increase heat f low, add supple-

5. Adjust dampers for higher airflow. add supplemental heat (gas fire- mental heat or encourage better6. Close registers around thermo- place, electric). mixing with a ceil ing fan.

stat; use thermometer to 1 1. Increase attic and wall insulationcompare room temperatures. if possible.

Furna{e f* t terreminderWhenever you buy a new box of fur-nace filters, write the months of theyear on the ind iv idua l f i l te rs (and

change them monthly) . That way,you' l l a lways know when you lastchanged the fi l ter.

{h"l ' l f n

J . . ' . r ^ i . \

. . . , . . . . - . . i -- ' \ r .-_ tr

s "').*_"..

W A R M U P A C O L D R O O M ; F U R N A C E F I L T E R R E M I N D E R 1 2 5

Page 129: 207 Money Saving Fixes

Heat-reducing

wi ndowfl lmeat controlwindowfilm wil l helpkeep a room cooler, and you canins ta l l i t yourse l f . These f i lms

reflect the sun's heat and ultraviolet rays,and reduce glare wi thout obscur ing theview (see photo).The more direct sunlightcoming through the window, the more thefi lm wil lhelp (and it may loweryourair-con-ditioning bil ls!).

Applying the fi lm takes approximately30 minutes per window (inset photo). Thefilm should last about 10 years. Prices varywith film size. A 3-ft. x 15-ft. film (which cancover two to three windows) costs S30.Thefilm is sold at home centers and hardwarestores. Gila is one company that makes heatcontrol fi I m (800-52 8-4481, g i lafil ms.com).

Different types of film are available, soget the one designedfor heat control. Thef i lm can be app l iedt o a n y w i n d o w , i n -cluding double-panelow-e w indows, a l -though they alreadyreduce radiant heatloss and gain.

One drawback ist h a t t h e f i l m m a yv o i d t h e m a n u f a c -turer's warranty forthd seal on double-p a n e w i n d o w s , a l -t h o u g h t h e f i l mshouldn't affect theseal. lf the window warranty has alreadyexpired or reducing excessive heat is moreimportant to you than possibly jeopardiz-ing a warranty, then apply the film. Other-wise, consider other options,such as install-ing shades, awnings or shutters over thewindows or even plant ing a t ree on thewest side to block the sun. Heat control, fitm is composed of treated micro-thin layers of film that block

ultraviotet rays and reduce the summer heat that comes through the window.

'r . f

x,.,a

Window fitm canbe installed inabout 30 minutes.The hazy appear-ance will disappearafter 10 days.

126 ENERGY-SAVING PRoDUcTS & F IXES

Page 130: 207 Money Saving Fixes

Replace your

weather strl p{-3k

#"F' S. lder wood doors usually rely on a non-adjustable:ii ,i+r threshold to keep the weather out. lf your old door'+&''#

doesn't seal tight against the threshold, you're wast-ing energy. You could screw a surface-applied weather strip tothe face of the door, but a door-bottom weather strip is a lessobtrusive way to create a good seal.

The door-bottom weather strip shown here is available atmost home centers and hardware stores. lf you can't find onethat's smooth on one side, you can slice off the barbed flangesfrom bottoms designed for steel or fiberglass doors.

Cut the bottom of the door to allow enough (but not toomuch) clearance to install the new weather strip.The goal is tocreate an even 3/8-in. space between the top of the existingthreshold and the bottom of the door. Close the door and meas-ure the largest gap between the door and the threshold. lf the

{ ScriUe a line on the door 3/8 in. above the top of theI threshold. Remove the door and carefulty cut atong the line

with a circular saw.

gap is less than 3/8 in., calculate how much you'll have to cut offthe bottom to equal 3/8 in. Mark this distance on the door at thepoint you measured. Then use a scribing tool to extend a markacross the bottom of the door (Photo 1).

Remove the hinge pins and move the door to a set of saw-horses. Mount a sharp blade in your circular saw and cut alongthe line. Protect the surface of the door with masking tape.lf you

have a veneered door, score along the line with a sharp utilityknife before sawing it to avoid chipping the veneer.

Cut the door-bottom weather strip about 1/8 in. shorter thanthe width of the door and tack it to the bottom of the door with astaple gun. Rehang the door to test the fit.lf it's too snug, removethe weather strip and trim a bit more from the door.When the fitis perfect, remove the staples and mount the weather strip(Photo 2). Fasten the weather strip in place with 1-in. roofing nails.

tf Cut the door-bottom weather strip to tength with tin snips or- a utitity knife. Appty two parallel beads of adhesive cautkthe tength of the door and nait the weather strip to the door.

HEAT-REDUCING WINDOW FILM; REPLACE YOUR WEATHER STRIP 127

Page 131: 207 Money Saving Fixes

Cut energy bills with aprog ra m ma ble thermostat

h e n i t c o m e s t o e n e r g ysavings, few upgrades payo f f a s q u i c k l y a s a p r o -

grammable thermostat. lf you turn downt h e h e a t 5 d e g r e e s a t n i g h t a n d 1 0degrees during the day when no one ishome, you'l l cut your energy bil l by 5 to20 percent. lf you raise the temperaturethe same amount during the cooling sea-son, your savings wil l be similar.You cando this with a manual thermostat, but aprogrammable model never forgets toturn down the heat at night and it canraise the temperature before you get outof bed in the morning.

Home centers carry several program-mable models ranging from S25 to morethan 51 00. Generally, more money meansmore programming opt ions. Standardp r o g r a m m a b l e t h e r m o s t a t s s o l d i nstores work with most heating/coolingsystems, new or old. But there are excep-t ions: Electr ic baseboard heat systemsrequire a "l ine voltage" thermostat that'sconnected to much larger wires than areshown here. Heat pumps often requirespecial thermostats, too. lf you can't findthe one you need at a store, t ry ther-mostatshop.com. Before you shop, meas-ure the "footprint" of the old thermostat.lf you buy a new one that's at least aslarge, you won't be left with wallpapergaps or paint to touch up.

Your old thermostat may look differ-ent from the one shown here, but remov-ing it wil l require similar steps. Turn offthe power at the main electrical panel byswitching off the furnace breaker. lf thefurnace circuit isn't labeled,switch on theheat (not the air conditioning) and turno f f b reakers un t i l the fu rnace s tops .Remove the old thermostat (Photo 1).Chances are, it has a small glass tube con-taining mercury, which is toxic. Call yourc i ty o r s ta te env i ronmenta l o r hea l thdepartment for disposal instructions.

You'l l f ind anywhere from two to sixwires connected to the old thermostat.lf

128 ENERGy-sAVING pRoDucrs & FtxES

any o f them aren ' t connected to thes c r e w t e r m i n a l s , y o u w o n ' t c o n n e c tthem to the new thermostat either. Thetermina ls a re labe led w i th le t te rs . Asyou remove each wire, label it to matchthe terminal using the tags included withthe new thermostat (Photo 2). Disregardthe color of the wires. When you removethe las t w i re , c l ip a c lo thesp in to thecable so it can't sl ip inside the wall.

Mount the wa l l p la te (Photo 3) . Inmost cases , you ' l l s imp ly connect thew i r e s b y m a t c h i n g

the manufacturer 's instruct ions to besure. Program and install the thermostat(Photo 4). Don't forget to turn the powerback on at the main panel.

{,

t $

dl

{ rutt off the cover ring and removeI the screws that fasten the thermo-

stat to the wa[[ plate.

Labe[ the wires as you disconnect them from the screw terminats. Then remove themounting screws that fasten the walt plate.

$

$

.c

..{

3ing

Mark the new screw locations, drivein wa[[ anchors and screw the mount-

plate to the wa[[. Connect the wires.

.,/| Instalt the batteries, program thet? thermostat and snap it onto thewatl plate.

Page 132: 207 Money Saving Fixes

Moni tor e lect r ic usageBlue L ine Innovat ions ' PowerCost Moni tor (S150)

he lps you moni tor your home e lect r ica l use. l t g ivesyou a real-t ime readout of your energy usage andcost (based on your local rates) so you can adjustyour habits to save money.

The PowerCost system consists of a sensor unitthat 's attached to the outside meter and a wirelessdisplay monitor that gives the readout. By trackingyour usage over a 24-hour period, you can deter-mine how much money you ' l l save by ad just ing thethermostat sett ing of your air condit ioner or heat-ing un i t a couple o f degrees.

Bf ue Line Innovations, (866) 607-2583. save-electr ici ty.ca

In exterior walls, electr ical boxes that hold switches oroutlets can let in a lot of cold air. Worse, they can letwarm, mois t indoor a i r in to wal ls , caus ing prob lems

like wood rot or peel ing exterior paint.

One way to stop the airf low is to

seal the gaps around them andthe ho les ins ide them wi th

caulk. But there's anotherway:With foam gaskets, allyou have to do is unscrewthe cover plate, stick thegasket in place and putthe plate back on. A packof a dozen gaskets costs

about 53 at home centersand hardware stores.

C U T E N E B G Y B I L L S W I T H A P R O G R A M M A B L E T H E R M O S T A T ; M O N T T O R E L E C T B T C U S A G E ; S T O P A D R A F T t N 6 0 S E C O N D S 1 2 9

Page 133: 207 Money Saving Fixes

EI."ECIRONICDIMMER

Install adlmmerswltch

CAUTION:lf you have aluminum wir ing,don'tmess with i t !Cal l in a l icensed prowho's certified to work with it.This

wir ing is dul l gray, not the dul l orangethat's characteristic of copper.

trating on details that will guarantee a safe installation.The tools you'll need are inexpensive and will come in handy

for all your electrical projects. You'll need a screwdriver, wirestripper, noncontact voltage detector, a voltage tester, andneedle-nose pliers to installa dimmer.

?$"1tir

. i i

J1 : i ' ,

' ttft',t

Double-check forhot wires in the boxTurn on the light and have a helper watchas you switch off the circuit breakers, orunscrew the fuses one at a time until thelight goes out. Leave this circuit turned offwhile you work.

Use a noncontact vol tage detector(Photo 1) to doub le-check fo r vo l tage

I30 ENERGY-SAVING PRoDUcTS & F IXES

, doesn't take long to replace an ordinary light switchwith a full-feature dimmer. The step-by-step instruc-

' tions will show you how to install the dimmer, concen-

before removing the switch. These detectors are available athardware stores and home centers for about 512.lt will detectvoltage without direct contact with the metal conductor. Thatmeans you can check potentially hot wires before you handlethem. After you unscrew the switch and pull it away from thebox, probe around inside the box with the detector to make surethere are no other hot wires from another circuit.

Make sure the boxis large enough-. Too many wires and devices stuffed into a

box can cause dangerous overheat ing,short-c i rcui t ing and f i res. The Nat ionalElectr ical Code speci f ies minimum boxsizes to reduce this risk.

T o f i g u r e t h e m i n i m u m b o x s i z erequired by the electrical code, add: 1 foreach hot and neutral wire enter ing the

Page 134: 207 Money Saving Fixes

I furn off the power at the mainI circuit panet. Hotd the tip of a non-

contact vottage detector near each screwterminal to be sure the power is off.Then unscrew the switch and putl it fromthe box.

) measute the height, width and3 depth of a metal box and refer toFigure A below to determine the boxvotume. Ptastic boxes have their volumestamped inside.

Q rest for a ground. Turn the powerJ back on. Then place the leads of avottage tester between each screw termi-nal and the metal box. If the tester tights,the box is grounded. Caution: Turn offthe power again before proceeding.

Figure ACommon metal box sizesHeighUwidth/depth(inches) Volume

3x2x2-1/4 10.5 cubic inches3x2x2-112 12.5 cubic inches3x2x2-3/4 14.0 cubic inches

always have bare copper ground wires that you'll connect to thedimmer. But test first using the procedure shown in Photo 3 toverify that the wire is connected to a ground.

Some wiring systems rely on metal conduit for the ground.lfyou have one of these systems, Photo 3 shows how to test themetal box to verify that it 's grounded. lf i t is, attach a shortground wire to the metal box with either a metal grounding clipas shown in Photos 4 and 5 or a green grounding screw screwedinto the threaded hole in the back of the box.Then connect it tothe dimmer.

lf testing reveals your box isn't grounded, you can still installthe dimmer, but you must use a plastic cover plate and make sureno bare metal parts are exposed.

The easy part isinstal l ing the dimmerSome dimmers, l ike the one shown here, have stranded wiresattached. Photos 7 and 8 show how to install this type of dimmer.Others have screw terminals instead. For these, sttap 3/4 in. of theinsulated covering from the wires in the box and bend a loop in

box, 1 for all the ground wires combined, 1 for all the clampscombined, and 2 for each device (switch or receptacle) installedin the box. Multiply this figure by 2for 14-gauge wire and 2.25 for12-gauge wire to get the minimum box volume in cubic inches.

To help determine the gauge of the wire in your switch box,look at the amperage of the circuit breaker or fuse in the mainelectrical panel. Fifteen-amp circuits are usually wired with 14-

gauge wire and 20-ampcircuits require 1 2-gaugeor heavier wire.

the circuit breaker israbered,r,alll,.lh. rr.;Jl?ff.,[.,,'Jnil:wires are orobablv '-

t+-g"rg", it i,{;j6 of your existing box' Plas-

amp,"the wires are tic boxes have the volumelikely 12-gauge. stamped inside, usually

on the back . S tee l boxcapacities are listed in the

electrical code.The volume of the most common steel boxes islisted in Figure A.lf you have a steel box, measure it (Photo 2) andconsult the chart to see if i t 's large enough. lf your box is toosmall, replace it with a larger one. lt's possible to replace a boxwithout cutting away the wall, but.it's a tricky job.Just removingabout a 5-in. x 3-in. square of drywall or plaster and patching itafter the new large box is installed is much easier.

Test your ground beforeyou connect itNew dimmers have either a green grounding wire or a greenground screw that you'll have to connect to a grounding source ifone is available. Houses wired with plastic-sheathed cable almost

tip wire wisdom. tf

INSTALL A D IMMER SWITCH I3 I

Page 135: 207 Money Saving Fixes

/l ness a grounding ctip and 6-in.rT tength of bare copper wire onto themetat box with a screwdriver. Cut away alittte bit of drywatt under the box toprovide clearance for the ctip.

J foU the wires together with the, stranded wire protruding about 1/8

in. beyond the solid wire. Match the sizeof the wire connector you're using to thesize and number of wires being connect-ed. Check the manufacture/s specifica-tions on the package to be sure. Twist aptastic wire connector ctockwise ontothe wires to connect them.

CAUTION:Callan electr ician i f the original .

switch is connected to two whitewires, unless one is marked withblack tape.This may indicate adangerous switched neutral.

( oenA the ground wire back ontoJ the ctip and squeeze it downtight so it won't interfere with thedimmer switch.

fi cfip off the bent end of each\f wire with the wire cutter. Strip3/8 in. of insulation from the end ofthe wires.

each with needle-nose pliers. Place the loop clockwise around the screw terminals andclose the loop around the screws with needle-nose pliers.Then tighten the screws.

It doesn't matter if you reverse the two switch wires to a single-pole dimmer. But ifyou're replacing a three-way switch with a three-way dimmer, label the "common" wire

(it ' l l be labeled on the old switch) whenyou remove the old switch so you canconnect it to the "common" terminal onthe dimmer.

In most cases, the two switch wireswi l l be some color other than green orwhite, usually black. But one of the wiresmay be white if your house is wired withplastic-sheathed cable (like Romex). Put a

wrap of black tape around the white conductor to label it as a hot wire.

I32 ENERGY-SAVING PRODUCTS & F IXES

Q fotd the wires neatty into thelJ box. Screw the dimmer to thebox with the screws provided. Finishthe job by installing the cover plateand turning on the power to test thenew dimmer.

Buyingdimmerslf the switch you're replacing isthe only switch controll ing thel ight , buy a standard s ingle-pole dimmer (S5 to 530). lf thelight can be switched on andoff from two or more switches,buy a three-way dimmer switch.But you won't be able to dimthe l ights f rom every switchlocation unless you buy a setof special dimmers (about 570per pair) with advanced elec-tronics and install one at eachswitch location.

Most dimmers are designedto handle 600 watts.Add up thewattage of all the l ight bulbsyou'l l be dimming. Then readthe dimmer package to makesure i t can hand le the load.Heavy-duty 1,000- and 1,500-watt dimmers aie also readilyavailable. Read the package ifyou ' l l be ins ta l l ing d immersside by side in the same elec-trical box because the wattagerating is reduced to compen-sate for extra heat buildup.

Finally, you have to use aspecial device, not a dimmer,to control the speed of ceilingfans and motors. Most fluores-cent l ights can' t be dimmedwithout altering the fixture.

Page 136: 207 Money Saving Fixes

Insutate ri m jOiStSand cut heat loss

Run a bead of acrylic caulk aroundeach section of foam to form an air-

or a circular saw. Cut the strips to fitbetween ftoor joists using a box cutter.

just a couple of hours, you can seal and insulateyour rim joists, which are a major source of heatloss in many homes. Properly insulating and air-

sealing rim joists takes patience, so most builders simply stuff insome fiberglass and walk away.

lf you have an unfinished basement, you can properly insu-late the rim joists in two or three hours. (This wil l also block tinypassages where spiders and other insects enter your basement!)The materials wil l cost about 51 per foot of rim joist. Call yourlocal bui ld ing inspect ions department before you begin th isproject. The inspector may require you to cover the new insula-tion with drywall (as a fire block) or leave some areas uncoveredto allow for termite inspections. You can insulate second-floorrim joists following the same steps shown here if you happen totear out a ceil ing during remodeling.

Rigid foam is the best insulation for rim joists. Shown here is2-in.-thick (R-10) 'extruded polystyrene" (S20 per 4 x 8-ft. sheet).Don't use"expanded polystyrene,"which is a less effective air andmoisture barrier.

Figure Alnsutated rim jdistAirtight insulation reducesheat loss through the rimjoist. Fiberglass insulationand expanding foam sealthe open top of hollow .,concrete bl,ocks. nl

tight barrier. Fill gaps larger than ll4in. with expanding foam sealant.

Cut the foam into 8-ft.-long strips 1/8 in.less than the heightof the rim joist. A table saw is the fastest way to "rip"these strips,but you can also use a circular saw.Then cut the strips to lengthto fit between the joists, again cutting them 1/8 in. short (Photo1). A heavy-duty box cutter (56) is the best knife for making shortcuts and trimming foam; the long blade slices cleanly throughthe foam (a utility knife blade is too short). Use long sections offoam to cover the rim joists that are parallel to the floor joists(Photo 2). Don't worry about cutting the foam for a tight f itaround pipes, cables or other obstructions; you can seal largegaps with expanding foam sealant later.

It's important to create an airtight seal around each section offoam using caulk or expanding foam (Photo 2). Otherwise, moistinside air could condense on the cold rim joist and lead to moldand rot. lf you have a solid concrete foundation, run a bead ofcaulk where the sil l plate meets the concrete.lf you have a con-crete block foundation, seal the openings on top with expandingfoam. Stuff f iberglass insulation into each opening to supportthe foam as it hardens (see Figure A).

I N S T A L L A D I M M E R S W I T C H ; I N S U L A T E R I M J O I S T S A N D C U T H E A T L O S S 1 3 3

Page 137: 207 Money Saving Fixes

;'Il$psto save

555 on gasou see gas-saving tips everywhere these days. But how much can you

really save by following those tips? Well, the savings are pretty impres-

sive. Obviously no one wil l have allthese car problems at the same time,so your savings will be substantially less than the full 52,970 shown here. But if you

follow these tips, you will notice a difference in your fuel costs. The savings are

based on driving 20,000 miles per year, in a car that gets 20 mpg, with gasolinepriced at 54 a gallon.

t Change spark plugs3 before they're duelf your 100,000-mile spark plugs have 80,000 miles onthem,they're 80 percent worn. Misfires and incompletecombustion occur more frequently during that last20,000 miles, costing you almost 5600 in wastedfuel. You have to replace your spark plugs any-way, so do it early and pocket the savings.Even if you have to replace the plugs oneextra time over the life of your car, you'llsti l l come out way ahead.

\.-_ SPARK PLUGS

Save 5950 by eeprng yourtires at the right pressure

Surveys show that 50 percent of us are driving on underinflated tires.You can't "eyeball" tire pressure; you have

to check it with a tire pressure gauge

\ (less than S5).lt 's worth your time to\ c h e c k t i r e s m o n t h l y , b e c a u s e

& underinflated tires can cost youabout 5800 a year in wastedgas. lmproper a i r p ressure

0. . can wear ou t your t i rest" twice as fast, costing you an

addi t ional S150 a year.Therecommended air pressure

for your vehicle's t ires is onthe decal pasted to the driver's

door or pil lar.

2 Save 5360 by changing yourJ air filter early and oftenYour engine sucks 14 mill ion gallons of air through the air f i l ter every year. lfit can't get enough air,the combustion efficiency will drop by at least 10percent. Air filters are cheap (less than 5l 5) and you can replace them your-

self. Replace the filter at least every 10,000 miles or once a year, and evenwith that expense, still save 5360.

I3 ,4 SPECIAL SECTION: MONEY-SAVING AUTO HELP

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ffi Save $tgo by keepingre your car alignedlf your tires are bowed out ofal ignment by just .017 in. , i t 'sthe equ iva len t o f d ragg ingy o u r t i r e s i d e w a y s f o r 1 0 2mi les fo r every 20 ,000 youdr ive.That ' l l cost you 5190 ay e a r i n w a s t e d g a s . l t w i l lwear your tires faster, costingyou 570 more a year .

i"' Brake drag can really, .' ' sink your mileage

Here's an easy wayto check your al ign-ment withouttaking your cari n t o t h e s h o p . B u y atread depth gauge (S2) and

measure the t read depth

o n b o t h e d g e s o f e a c h

tire (rear t ires too). l f one

s ide of the t i re is worn

m o r e t h a n t h e o t h e r ,y o u r c a r n e e d s t o b e

a l i g n e d . A n a l i g n m e n tc o s t s a b o u t 5 8 0 , s oyou' l l s t i l l save S180 thefirst year alone.

Tread depth gauge, $2 atany auto parts store

Brake cal ipers have a

nas t y hab i t o f r us t -

i n g , b i n d i n g a n d

dragging down your

g a s m i l e a g e . H o w

can you t e l l i f you r

brakes are dragging

without having them

checked a t a shop?

E a s y ! B u y a n i n e x -pens ive noncontact

i n f r a red l ase r t he r -

momete r ( 542 ) , r e -

move the whee l cove r ( i f

e q u i p p e d ) , a n d a i m t h e

l a s e r a t t h e w h e e l h u b

after a drive. Compare the

read ings f rom the r igh ta n d l e f t s i d e s . l f t h e yvary by more than 20percent, you've proba-b l y g o t a d r a g g i n gbrake or a wheel bear-ing problem, so takeit in for repairs.

Uneven tread wear signatsatignment problems

Replace a failingthermostat

A thermostat that opens too quickly or stays open candramatically lower the coolant temperature and put amega-chil l on your gas mileage. Remember the infraredthermometer you bought to check your brakes? Simplya im i t a t the thermosta t hous ing . l f your eng ine iswarmed up and the thermometer reads less than 160degrees F,you're wasting gas and it 's t ime to replace thethermostat. (To reduce reflection errors, spray the ther-mostat housing with black paint prior to testing.)A newthermostat costs about S10.

WLead foot - light walletYou don't really want us to recite the law of physics about how a body at rest tends tostay at rest, do you? OK, we'l l just skip to the part about how hard acceleration in stop-and-go driving costs you 20 percent in gas mileage. lf you l ive your l i fe in rush hour traf-fic and like to put the pedal to the metal, here's our advice:Spend all your extra time atthe next stoplight f iguring out how you could have spent the 5800 a year you're wasting.

ffin ;,

Raytek MT2 non-contact infraredthermometer, $42 attooldiscounter.com

1o T IPS To SAVE $$$ oN GAS I35

Page 139: 207 Money Saving Fixes

a Replace a broken orft missing spoiler

The plastic air dam (aka "spoiler") that's broken or missing wasn'tjust for a sporty look. lf your car had an air dam, driving without itor with a damaged one can reduce your gas mileage.The air damliterally"dams off"airflow to the undercarriage of your car,forcingthe air up and over the hood.That helps your car cut through the

air with less drag.lt also increases airflow to the A/C condenser andradiator, reducing the load on your car's electrical system. Contacta junkyard or visit certifit.com to get a replacement air dam.

9;$i":i:'hifftflii,",Yes, you've heard itbe fore , bu t howa b o u t s o m e r e a l -wor ld numbers to,a h e m , d r i v e t h epoint home? Aero-dynamic drag is aminor concern incity driving, but itr e a l l y k i l l s y o u rg a s m i l e a g e a tspeeds over 55m p h . l n f a c t ,increasing yours p e e d t o 6 5increases dragby 36 percent!lf you do a loto f h i g h w a ydr iv ing, get-t ing to yourdestination afew minutes earlycould cost you an extra 5680 a year. Keep itcloser to 55 mph and use your cruise control. lt wil l pay off.

coulD cosTYOUANDfiNA$680 PER YEAR'

{ n Replace your oxygen sensor(s}f t before the light goes on

Oxygen sensors monitor the efficiency of combustion by track-ing the amount of oxygen remaining in the exhaust. But theydegrade over time and that can cost you up to 15 percent in gas

mileage. When they fail, the computer l ights up your "serviceengine soon" light, forcing you to incur an 580 diagnostic fee. Onpre-1996 vehicles, replace your oxygen sensor every 60,000 milesto keep your mileage at its peak. On 1996 and newer vehicles,replace the sensors every 100,000 miles. Oxygen sensors costabout 560 each. Some vehicles have as many as four, but the sen-sors installed behind the catalytic converter rarely fail.

I36 SPECIAL SECTION: MONEY-SAVING AUTO HELP

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things to checkbefore a road trip

t's time for the beloved family road trip and everybody'sitching to get going. Better do a quick check of your car'shealth first. Some discoveries can prevent "towable" experi-

ences; others are safety issues.lt would be best to run throughthis five-minute checklist a week ahead of departure so you'llhave time to get the car repaired if a mechanic is needed.

1 Check the condi t ion of a l l bel ts.I Broken bel ts are one of the most

common reasons for roadside assistancecalls. Replacement belts should be easyto locate and replace near your home.But the belt for your car may be tough tofind depending on where you're going.Twist the belt slightly to expose cracks orglazing. Replace any belt that is cracked,worn or delaminating.

r1 Check for f luid leaks. Small leaksZ of ten turn into gushers once youleave town, and that can be costly. Themost common sources : the rad ia to r ,engine oil pan, transmission oil pan andhoses, power steering hoses, steeringrack, and heater and radiator hoses. Use af lashl ight to check for leaks. Note thecolor of the fluid and trace the fluid trailsback to their source.

2 Check the t i re pressure. Low air

J pressure causes tires to use more gas,wear faster and run hotter. Hot tires aremore prone to blowout during extendedhighway drives. Check them all ( includ-ing the spare) before you leave. Look forthe correct air pressure on the decal oneither the driver's door or the door pillar.lf the decal is missing,checkyourowner'smanual. Always make sure the tires arecold when you check tire pressure.

,; Check and top off all f luids.Wlth the engine ofl checkt power steering fluid, brake fluid, coolant, windshield washerand engine oil. Most automatic transmissions must be checkedwith the engine hot and running and the gearshift in "park."Check your owner's manual to confirm. Look for the power steer-ing fluid level to reach the COLD mark on the dipstick.lf it's low,check your owner's manual and buy the rig ht fluid for your veh icle.

g Check all exterior lights. They're easy to check, and inexpen-rJ sive to replace. Bulb numbers and replacement proceduresare listed in your owner's manual. Turn the key to the "acces-sories" position (therel no need to start the engine). Operate theturn signals,brake lights and backup lights,and checkfor reflectionsin your rearview mirror. Perform the same checks on the frontturn signal l ights, headlights, high beams and running l ights.

10 T IPS TO SAVE $$$ ON GAS; 5 THINGS TO CHECK BEFORE A ROAD TRIP 137

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Replace a broken taillightand save $gS

inding a replacement ta i l l ight assembly is easy. Manyh a v e s e t u p c o n s u m e r - f r i e n d l y W e b s i t e s t h a t s e l lequipment manufacturer's (OEM) parts at discounted

Check out these dealer sites before you buy an after-market version. Or simply enter "tail l ight" intoy o u r f a v o r i t e s e a r c h e n g i n e . Y o u ' l l b eamazed at the number of hits you get. Mosto f t h e c o m p a n i e s s e l l l o w - p r i c e doffshore"knockoffs"of the OEM parts.lf you'reOK with an "aftermarket" version, make surethe se l le r l i s ts i t as CAPA cer t i f ied . A CAPA-certified part is guaranteed to fit and perform likethe original.

Car manufacturers use two differ-ent techniques to attach tail l ights tothe body.One method uses threadedstuds embedded in the tail l ight. Thestuds are inserted into holes in thesheet metal and fastened with nuts (see

threaded-stud style, p. 139).The secondmethod uses screws to secure one end ofthe light, and captive stud/socket fastenerson the other end (see screws and stud/socketsty le, p. 139). l f your vehic le has the capt ivestud/socket arrangement, use a wooden orplastic tool to pry the stud out of the socket.Metal screwdrivers will scratch the paint.

Once you have the tail l ight assembly dis-connected, remove the lightbulb sockets byreleasing the catch mechanism and twist-ing.lf you haven't replaced the bulbs in thepast two years, now is a good time to dothat, s ince you already have everythingapart. Then install the sockets in the newtail l ight and reassemble.

car dea le rso r i g i n a Ipr ices.

Dealer Internet sitesChrysler/Dodge/Plymouthnewchryslerparts.comdodgeparts.com

Ford/Mercury/Lincolnd iscou ntford pa rtsaty2 kford.co m

Hondahondapartscheap.com

Toyotatoyotad iscou ntpa rts.com

GM/Chevrolet/Buick/Oldsmobile/GMC/Pontiacnewch evroletpa rts.co m

Nissannissanpa rts2u.com

I3A SPECIAL SECTION: MoNEY.SAVING AUTo HELP

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Threaded-stud style

Locate the nuts and remove them from the threaded studsusing a deep socket and ratchet.

Snap new l,ightbutbs into the sockets and instatl thenew taitlight.

Repair and maintainweather strippingDuring the winter, water can freeze around the door's weatherstrip, locking you out of your car. lf you pull hard to break theice, the weather strip can tear right off the door. Here's how tofix the weather strip and prevent it from tearing again.

Buy a tube of weather-strip adhesive, a can of nonflamma-ble spray brake cleaner and a can of spray sil icone (all are avail-able at any auto parts store). Pull the weather strip away fromthe door and clean it and the metal surface with brake cleaner.Let that dry completely, then squeeze a bead of adhesive ontothe weather strip and channel and let that dry. Apply a secondcoat to both surfaces and press the weather strip into place.Clean up any adhesive messes with brake cleaner.

Hold the weather strip in place with masking tape unti l theadhesive dries (about 45 minutes).Then pull the tape free andspray silicone on the weather strip on the other doors and trunklid.That will prevent ice from sticking to them. lt's good preven-

tive maintenance to treat allthe weather stripping before win-ter every year.

Screws and

Remove the screws from the trunk or tift-gate side of thetaittight. These were hidden under covers.

Pry the ptastic stud out of the socket while putling backon the taittight assembly.

1 ll,lll,"".othe back of theweather stripand the channet.

3M Super Weatherstrip& Gasket Adhesive,

No.05l 1 35. 53

lf Preventi door stick-ing with siti-cone spray.Move in ctoseto cut downon oversPray.

1 1

stud/socket style

REPLACE A BROKEN TAILL IGHTAND SAVE $95 ; REPAIR AND MAINTAIN WEATHER STRIPPING 139

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Install a new cabin air fi lterbout half of al l newer cars are equipped with a cabin

air f i l ter. l f your car has one (check your owner's man-

ual ) , you ' re supposed to change i t every 12,000 to

1 5,000 miles, or once a year. But i f you're l ike most drivers, you're

st i l l dr iving with the original f i l ter and i t 's l ikely clogged.l t 's notjust a comfort issue. Just as a clogged furnace f i l ter reduces the

furnace's eff iciency, a clogged cabin air f i l ter reduces the eff i-

ciency of the heating and cool ing system for the car interior.

A clogged f i l ter can also cause major window fogging

problems and contr ibute to lower gas mi leage. Andbecause of the sluggish airf low, eventually you'l lhave to replace a burned-out blower motor for

S 150 or more,The good news is that cabin air f i l -

ter replacement is a do-i t-yourselfp r o j e c t . A s e r v i c e c e n t e r w i l l

charge about $95 for the f i l ter and

labor on a 2003 Toyota Camry. Save

S7O by doing the job yoursel f . The f i l tercosts only S25 at a dealer, and the job takes lessthan 30 minutes. In most cases, you' l l only need a

Phi l l ips screwdr iver . You can usual ly f ind rep lacement ins t ruc-

t ions in the owner 's manual .

A Camry air f i l ter setup is shown. But locations vary depend-

ing on the make and model of your car. ln fact, some luxury cars

are equipped with as many as three dif ferent types of f i l ters: one

for fresh air, a second for recirculated air and a third made of act i-

vated charcoal to remove odors. l t 's best to replace al l three f i l -

ters at the same t ime.

lf your manual doesn't show how to find and replace the fi l ter,ask the dealer parts department for instructions. Many new fi l-

ters have an instruction sheet-or the instructions mav beon the manufacturer's Web site.

Road debris, leaves,dust and pollen allctog cabin air fitters.

I 4 O S P E C I A L S E C T I o N : M o N E Y - S A V I N G A U T O H E L P

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Where

I unsctett the gtove box hinges. Then press in on both sidesI of the glove box to titt it down and putl it free to access

the filter tray.

is i t?

I Stia" out the fitter tray and the '

3 old fitter. Note the orientation ofthe pleats and instatl the new filter inthe same direction.

Stide the filter tray back into ptace and reassemble theglove box.

No cabin f i l ter?Add an air purif i-erlf your car isn't equippedw i t h a c a b i n a i r f i l t e r ,you're not out of luck-youcan s t i l l add an ion pur i f ie r . lon

purif iers generate bil l ions of negatively charged ionsthat at tach to v i ruses, bacter ia, dust and pol len. Theparticles are then attracted to positively charged sur-faces l ike your plastic dashboard. Once they settle, it 'sjust a matter of using a spray c leaner on al l the hardsurfaces to wipe away the pollutants.

A quick Internet search wil l turn up several differ-ent types of automotive plug-in ion purif iers.The oneshown here plugs into the cigarette l ighter. lt comeswith an extension ion generator that attaches to thelouvers on a dash air vent.That feature allows you todirect the flow of ions toward the passenger seat orthe backseat-important if you carry passengers withallergies. And because it works with the car's blowersystem, it doesn't need a built- in blower fan l ike someother uni ts.AirTamer A400 by Filterstream. 550. ai rtamer.com

I N S T A L L A N E W C A B I N A I R F I L T E R ; A D D A N A I R P U R I F I E R 1 4 1

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Recharge your car's ACyour ca r ' s a i r cond i t i on ing

system has lost i ts "cool," i t

might jus t be low on re f r ig-

e r a n t . A l l A C s y s t e m s l o s e t i n y

amounts o f re f r igerant when connec-

tors expand and cont ract . That 's d i f -

ferent from a catastrophic leak, where

you lose al l the refr igerant at once. l f

that 's the case, you have to take your

ca r i n f o r a cos t l y f i x . Bu t i f you ' ve

not iced a graCual loss in coo l ing ab i l -

i ty, you may be able to "top off" the

ref r igerant yourse l f in about 20 min-

utes and for less than S40.Note: l f you ' re not sure that a s low

leak is the prob lem, i t won ' t hur t to t ry

the DIY f ix anyway. Just be aware thatyou may be pour ing that 540 down

the dra in .Th is f ix is on ly good for cars

w i t h t he newer R -134a re f r i ge ran t .

Check you r owne r ' s manua l t o see

which re f r igerant is in your car .

Star t by purchas ing an R-134a k i t

f rom an auto par ts s tore. Avo id the"recharge on ly" k i ts and

op t f o r t he more com-

p l e t e " d i a g n o s e a n d

recharge" kits. These kits

i n c l u d e a p r e s s u r e

gauge, a hose,a coupler ,

a v a l v e a n d a c a n o f

re f r igerant . The gauge is

espec ia l ly impor tant to

p rope r l y d i agnose t he cond i t i on o f

your AC system.

To begin the d iagnos is , f i rs t f ind

the l ow-p ressu re cha rg ing po r t . l t ' s

located in the larger o f the two hoses

t h a t r u n f r o m t h e f i r e w a l l t o t h e

AC compresso r . A t t ach t he gauge /

coupler /hose assembly to th is f i t t ing(Photo 1) .When the s leeve snaps in to

p lace, the connector is locked on.

Per form the d iagnost ic tes ts out -

l ined in the k i t ins t ruct ions. One test is

to check the compressor c lu tch to see

i f i t ' s turn ing. Don ' t assume a turn ing

compresso r pu l l ey means a t u rn ing

compresso r c l u t ch . Re fe r t o Pho to 2

to see the d i f ference.

.'ilhi..

i;i.]ii.j,!.ii

u

Refr igerant can cause f rostb i te and ser i -ous eye in jur ies i f used improper ly . Reada l l t he cau t i ona ry i n fo rma t i on i n t he k i t

i ns t ruc t i ons , and wea r l ea the r g l oves andgogg les du r i ng t he p rocedu re .

1 4 2 S P E C I A L S E C T I O N : M O N E Y - S A V I N G A U T o H E L P

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{ Remove the pl,astic dust cap fromI ttre fitting. Putt up on the coupler

sleeve and push the coupter onto thefitting as you release the sleeve.

Test the compressor ctutch by starting the engine and turning the AC to MAX. Theclutch on the left is inoperative. The clutch on the right is turning.

lf the tests show that the system canbe charged, hold the can upr ight andopen the valve (Photo 3). As refrigerantflows into the system,watch the pressure.gauge carefully to make sure you don'texceed the pressures listed in the instruc-tion sheet. Overcharging an R-I34a sys-tem actually diminishes its cooling abil ityand can damage expensive components.lf the tests show that the system isn't lowon refrigerant, you'll have to take the carto a pro for repair.

NOTE: The California Air ResourcesBoard recent ly proposed a ban onthe sale of R-l34a to California con-sum€rs. Depending on the outcomeof th is p roposa l r !ou may no t beab le to purchase the re f r igeran tdescribed here.

Hotd the can upright. Open the vatve and add refrigerant until the gauge reachesthe pressure shown in the instruction sheet.

Protect theenvironmentTechnicians often explain thatfederal EPA regulations requirethem to locate and repair anyR-l34a refrigerant leaks beforec h a r g i n g a n A C s y s t e m .F i n d i n g a n d r e p a i r i n g asmall leak (less than 3 ozs. peryear) is very difficult and verycostly.While state or local reg-u l a t i o n s m a y r e q u i r e l e a krepa i r , i t i sn ' t requ i red bythe federal EPA. For more infor-m a t i o n o n t h i s t o p i c , v i s i tepa.gov /ozon e / t i t le 6 I 609 /recharge.html#q3.

However, just because theEPA doesn't require leak repairdoesn't mean that R-134a leaksare OK. R-134a is a greenhousegas and it does contribute toglobalwarming.lf your AC sys-tem requires a " topping of f"two years in a rory it's probablytime to repair the leak. You'renot only adding to the green-house gas effect but also burn-ing more gas because of thelower efficiency of your car'sAC system.

REcHARGE YoUR CAR'S AC AND SAVE $50 I . }g

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5 things to lubricate before winter

{ Spray window tracks with siticone spray or dry Teflon.I Siticone stays stick even in cold weather, so windows slide

smoothly, lessening the wear on your window motors.

Q Spray aerosol lithium grease on thed hood latch mechanism. You don'twant to fight a bal,ky hood latch whenifs snowing and you're trnng to addwindshietd fluid.

1l nppty silicone spray on alt weather stripping. Siticone witlSkeep ice from bonding the rubber to the metal doors.That'[[ make doors open smoother and may even prevent tears inthe weather stripping.

/l reep your [ock cytinders workingrrl smoothty by injecting dry Teflonlubricant spray. You never know whenyour remote keytess entry system mighttet you down.

( Spray tithium grease on door hingesJ to keep them opening smoothly andprevent rust.

Switch to winter wiper bladesBlade supports can get packed with snory and then thewiper blade either causes streaks or misses large swaths ofyour windshield. Winter wiper blades el iminate that

REGULARWIPER BTADE

ICE AND SNOW CAN GETSTUCK IN OPENINGS

prob lem. The en t i re b lade is wrapped in arubber boot tha t o revents i ce andsnow from st icking or packing. Theymake for much better v is ib i l i ty andsafer winter driving. BOOTED BLADE

lwtNTERt

lrr-

I44 SPECIAL SECTIoN: MoNEY-SAVING AUTo HELP

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r-