Fix that leaky faucet yourself to avoid a costly plumbing bill

One of the most common problems in a bathroom is a leaky faucet. Most are fairly easy to fix, but the job can be time-consuming when it comes to searching for parts and tools. Here are the basics for repairing a cartridge-type faucet, one of the basic faucet types.

The cartridge is located in the handle that controls the water flow, whether it's a shower, tub or sink.

You need to shut off the water supply to the faucet. Some cutoffs are in an adjacent cabinet, but if you don't find one, cut the water supply off to the whole house. Timing is important, since you won't want to turn it back on until the repair is made. Plan ahead.

Assemble some basic tools. Screwdrivers, pliers, Teflon tape and plumber's putty are some basics to have on hand. Cover the drain so small parts don't accidentally fall into it. Protect decorative finishes by covering them with a rag before fumbling with pliers or a wrench.

Sometimes getting the old cartridge out can be difficult. Most faucets have various covers, handles and other parts that need to be removed to get to the cartridge. Look for a set screw that holds the handle on. Then start trying to remove decorative covers and other parts to access the cartridge. As you remove parts, line them up in order so that reassembly will be easier.

You will need to have the correct cartridge to replace, so if you don't know your faucet model number, take the old cartridge with you. If you can't find an exact match or you want to save some money, you can buy a repair kit that contains the basic washers, O-rings and other parts that you might need to replace, and just repair the old cartridge.

Replace the small parts or the entire cartridge, and reassemble the faucet. Turn the water back on and give yourself a pat on the back. You just saved yourself a bundle, not only on your water bill but in hiring a plumber, too! Super job!

Custom dog dish

Large dogs can benefit from having raised food and water dishes. You can provide this by purchasing a setup at your pet store, or you could make one yourself and customize it for your best friend. Just choose a wooden stool that is tall enough for your dog. The bowls you use need to have a lip on them that is the widest part of the bowl itself. You can set the bowls down on the stool and trace around them. You want to cut the hole a little smaller so that when you drop the dish into it, the lip will hold it in place so it won't fall all the way through. This way, the bowls can be removed for easy filling and cleaning. Paint it to suit your best friend's personality, and you will be appreciated for years to come.

Keep tools handy

If you have a super tool belt with all of your favorite tools and gadgets, you know how handy it can be. You also know what a hassle it can be to remove tools from it to use when making repairs without the belt on. They never seem to get back into the belt where you like to keep them. One clever way to keep them from wandering off so much is to hang your tool belt right on your shop wall. Use pegboard hooks to hang it right on the wall. Your tools will be easy to get to and, hopefully, easy to return to the belt when you have finished using them.

Super hints

• Those really absorbent disposable diapers are perfect for sopping up a big liquid mess in your shop or garage, or even in your house. Buy a small package and keep them on hand for emergency pickups like this.

• Fishing hair out of a drain is pretty easy if you stick a hacksaw blade down the drain and grab the hair with it. Just pull the clog out, throw it away and clean the saw blade to use again in the shop.

• If you want to paint but have a small budget, check out the "oops!" paint at your paint store. This is paint that was mixed and returned, just mixed incorrectly or for some other reason is unwanted. You can pick up a can of paint for about half the price it normally is. Just find something that is the right color and finish for your needs, and get the job done. This makes painting even more cost-effective!

Q. I can hear water dripping in my sink downstairs, but I see no leak. What could it be?

A. It could be a leak inside your wall, or it might be the condensation from your air-conditioning system draining into this line. If your AC is located in the attic, check it out. If not, you might consider hiring a pro to look into your walls for a leak.

Q. Our front door is stained. It had a clear, shiny coating on it over the stain. I know this because it's still shiny inside the house. But the outside is dull now. What can we put on it to shine it back up?

A. Use a polyurethane finish over the stain. Choose one that is UV-resistant and made for exterior use. Clean the surface really well and give it a light sanding if any gloss is left from the original finish. You probably can get by with one coat. Be careful not to apply it too thickly, to prevent drips, or else take it down and apply your finish while it is laying flat.

Q. We used some old railroad ties along our driveway to act as a border. Through the years, they have been pushed around a little as people accidentally back into them. How can we stabilize them better?

A. Use a long drill bit to drill all the way through them on each end, from top to bottom. Then drive pieces of rebar into the holes and down into the ground to hold them in place.

Reader tips

• I am semiretired as of this year, and have created a really great home office. This way, I can still take care of business but be at home with my family. When it came to purchasing my office furniture, I had to do it on the cheap. I found a local store that sells used office furniture at a huge discount. The money even goes to charity, so it may be tax-deductible. Since there have been so many businesses closing down, I found some almost-new furniture that is beautiful and that fits into our existing decor. What a find! My office is very comfortable, and looks great. My wife uses it, too, now.

• We have a lot of humidity in our gazebo, probably due to the local weather and from our hot tub, located inside the room. The light fixture and fan are supposed to be for outdoor use, but the light bulbs are really hard to change out. They get stuck and even rusted sometimes. What I have been doing is rubbing the threads of the bulb base with petroleum jelly before turning it into the socket. It seems to cut way down on the rust problem, and makes changing them so much easier.

• I recycle whenever I can. I found a great way to reuse a lot of the plastic grocery sacks I get at the market. I stuff them into an old tissue dispenser box. They fit right into the hole in the top of the box, and when I need a bag, I just pull one out. They are great for lining trash cans and storing items around the house, and what I don't keep, I just return to the market when I shop.

• We have a metal shelf in our breakfast room that my wife uses for extra storage. It's more decorative than functional, and feels a little flimsy to me. She said she couldn't part with it, so I beefed it up. I added wooden shelves over the metal grates and attached them to the frame with bolts. She painted the shelves to match. Now it's extremely sturdy and holds a lot more stuff. I'm sure we could have spent a lot more money replacing it than we spent on the plywood and paint.

• We have been camping a couple of times this summer. It's been great fun, now that the kids are old enough to enjoy it more. We have created a "shower" with our pump-up sprayer. We put up a curtain and set the sprayer inside the makeshift shower area. When you pump it up, you can spray yourself down. Since it's not running all the time, it's also great at saving water. We just refill it at the faucet before each shower, and we can even wash our hair with it and use it to wash dishes. It's really quite a nice convenience.

Shop talk

• Panasonic has two new Whispervalue models in its family of ventilation fans. These have superior air flow and extremely low noise levels, and are built to be energy efficient. The depth of each is only 33/4 inches, making them very easy to fit into most ceiling spaces. Check them out online at Panasonic.com and find a dealer in your area.

•The H2Orb is a really innovative device that detects leaking water at your toilet and alerts you of the problem with an audible alarm. It works on both small and large leaks, and even can shut the water off in case of an overflow situation. It's easy to install in only a few minutes, with minimal tools, and can save you money on water loss as well as property damage. To learn more, visit theh2orb.com or contact AquaOne Technologies LLC, at (866) 598-3474.

• 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.