Don't flush money down the toilet - repair leaking seals yourself

Toilets, although handy, do have some problems. One of the hardest things to deal with is a broken seal at the base. This allows leaking around the base from the bowl, and can even allow sewer gas to get into the room. A faulty wax ring usually is to blame. The fix isn't very hard; it just requires some muscle and help from a friend or two. Here are the basics.

Shut off the water supply to the toilet. You should have one at the base of the toilet. If not, shut it off at the main cutoff for your home. Now might be a good time to add one to the toilet.

Flush the toilet and hold the handle down until all of the water has left the tank and bowl. Get as much out as you can so it won't end up on the floor. Have towels on hand to clean up the rest.

Remove the bolts holding the tank on the bowl, and carefully lift it off and set it aside.

Next, loosen the bolts holding the toilet base to the floor. These usually are located on the base of the toilet, and may have decorative covers over them. The toilet can be turned on the flange to release the bolts from the floor. Carefully lift the base off the floor. Use a putty knife and alcohol to clean the remnants of the old wax ring off the base of the toilet and the floor flange.

The new wax ring is placed on the "horn" of the toilet base. Twist it a little to make it stick in place.

Put a dab of plumber's putty on the bolt heads, and place them back into the floor flange and position them to receive the toilet.

Carefully place the toilet over the bolts and push it down. Give it a little wiggle or twist to get a good seal with the wax ring. Check it with a level, and make adjustments now if you need to. You can fill gaps between the floor and bowl with wooden shims if you need to. Trim them when finished.

Tighten the bolts carefully. Overtightening them can break the toilet, so be careful not to overdo it. Cover them back up, and caulk around the base of the toilet for decor and extra insurance on leaks.

Reinstall the tank. Replace the seals on these bolts, as well as the gasket between the tank and bowl while you are at it.

Turn the water supply back on and adjust your water level for optimum flushing.

It's not a hard repair but can be heavy if you are working alone, so get some help. Good luck!

Get that stuck junk drawer open

We all have a "junk drawer" - you know, the one you put all those miscellaneous items in. It's usually in the kitchen, and collects stuff until it's too full to open anymore. When do you need to clean it out? When it no longer opens or closes. When it gets too full, items will stick up inside the drawer and make it hard or impossible to pull out. Try to stick a spatula or some other long, flat tool into the drawer to push down the object that is sticking up. With everything pushed down, you should be able to pull the drawer open. Once it's opened, you can take a few minutes and clean it out!

Extend clamping power

Certain projects require clamping. It can be essential to a long-lasting and professional-looking project or repair. But what do you do when you have an extra-long project to clamp and only a couple of clamps to use to accomplish it? Use a couple of scraps of wood as long as your project. Place the wood strips on either side of the area to be clamped, then use your two clamps to hold these pieces in place over the project. The two pieces of wood, clamped across the whole area, will help secure it until the clamps are no longer needed.

Super hints

• Wood absorbs glue, but certain parts of lumber, like the ends, absorb twice as much, so when applying glue for a project, apply twice as much to ends as you do to the other sides. This will ensure good adhesion on your projects.

• Instead of having to dig candle stubs out of their holders, just put a little water or cooking spray into the holder before putting the candle in to prevent sticking. When it burns down and needs to be removed, it will be much easier to take out - no more digging.

• I try to recycle large, plastic soda bottles whenever I can. I use them for lots of projects both inside the home and in the garden. When I have to cut one up to use it, I always soak it in a sink of hot water for a few minutes first. The plastic gets softer this way, and is much easier to cut.

Q. My kitchen cabinets need to be cleaned. They feel sticky, and I don't know what is causing this, but I want to get them really clean. Also, should I put some sort of sealer over the stain?

A. Use mineral spirits paint thinner to clean off the airborne grease, which probably is what is making them feel sticky. If they don't have a finish, you can apply polyurethane once they are clean. This will seal them and make future cleanups easier.

Q. Our patio is concrete, and I want to paint it. What type of paint should I use?

A. Talk to your paint dealer and select an exterior paint made for concrete surfaces. Make sure your patio surface is properly prepped. A penetrating stain might last longer, especially if you apply a sealer/protector over it.

Q. We live in a rural area now and really like it. My wife would like me to install a food disposer, but I am not sure that's a smart thing to do, since we are on a septic system. Would that be a problem because of the septic system?

A. Check your local plumbing codes before anything else. Many municipalities will not allow you to add one if you are using a septic system on your home. Even if you are allowed to, it's a better idea to compost rather than use a food disposer. The time you might save on kitchen cleanup might not be worth the extra strain on your septic system.

Reader tips

• We have a deck, so we keep a lot of plants in pots. I have always used broken pot shards to place over the drain holes in the pots, but when I run out, I use screen wire. I have found that it even works better, too. I just cut a small piece of the screen and place it in the bottom of the pot over the rain hole, and then put in the potting soil. It keeps the dirt from coming through the bottom of the pot but allows the excess water to easily drain off.

• I like my old table saw, especially after pricing the newer models. My old table saw was scuffed and scratched, though. But I figured I might be able to smooth it out with a little polish and my sander. It took me a couple of hours, but it's like a new table saw now. I used some metal polish and my buffer to clean and smooth the surface. The wood practically glides right over it, and my saw is like a brand-new one now. I just saved myself a bundle.

• I've been doing a lot of outdoor projects in my backyard. We finally got a fence up, and I have started creating a garden area. I took my son's old wagon over and have been using it to haul tools and supplies to the backyard rather than make several trips back and forth. It's been a great timesaver, and if he doesn't need it back, I might just keep it around for other projects. I certainly can use it when working in the garden!

• I work for a garage-door company and have some advice for securing an automatic garage door when you need to. Unplug the opener, and it can't be used. Place a clamp on the track over the door wheels, and the door can't be raised. You also can reinstall the door lock if yours was removed for the installation of the garage-door opener. These things will give you some added security when you are on vacation.

• We spend a lot of time on our boat, even in the winter. We try to keep it organized so we have everything we need when we are on a family outing. I have attached several plastic jar lids to the underside of the seats. The jars that attach to them hold all sorts of supplies, and keep them dry and out of the way. It's a great way to store things, and it keeps hardware, bandages and other items within easy reach when we are out having family fun.

Shoptalk

• FauxPanels.com sells some great synthetic rock, stone, brick and wood panels that can be installed on your home. The panels look like the real thing but are much easier to install and maintain. They are UV-resistant, lightweight and easy to work with. Saw, drill and cut with ordinary tools - something that is much harder to do with the real thing. You can paint them if you need to. Some even can be installed on rounded surfaces. To learn more about the variety of designs, colors and accessories, visit the company's Web site, fauxpanels.com. You can find out how to order, install and use these panels to add value and even insulation to your home.

• Magnetite Window Insulators install over windows inside your home to increase energy efficiency and reduce condensation, noise and drafts. They even can block harmful UV rays. You can build and install them yourself to save even more money. No special tools are required. It's easy to do and will really help reduce your energy bills. They are easily removed for cleaning, too. To learn more about these handy helpers, where to buy them and how to install them, visit the company's Web site at www.magnetite.com.

• Write to Al and Kelly Carrell in care of the Daily Herald, P.O. Box 280, Arlington Heights, IL 60006, or visit the Carrells' Web site at thesuperhandyman.com.

© 2009, Cowles Syndicate Inc.