Kevin, Author at Remodel Upgrade

How To Unclog A Bathroom Sink | 5 Best Ways To Unclog A Sink

Knowing how to unclog a bathroom sink is valuable information. The truth is there are countless methods out there. Some techniques are capable of destroying the building’s plumbing, creating a larger problem than what you began with. The good news is there are a few ways to unclog a sink that will not damage your home’s plumbing. Read further to get a complete list of 100% safe ways to unclog a bathroom sink. Why Sinks Get Clogged To solve the problem of a clogged sink, we must furst learn what casues the sink to be clogged in the first place. The bathroom is the most frequently used room in your home. And the sink is the most frequently used part of the bathroom. Everything from getting ready in the morning, to washing your hands before you leave are all done with the sink. That means a lot more than just water goes down that drain. It’s common for shaving cream, toothpaste, and a lot more to be rinsed down the bathroom sink. This stuff can build up in the drain over time, causing a bottleneck to take place. The solution for a clogged sink is to find a way to remove this bottleneck and get the water flowing again. How To Unclog A Bathroom Sink That Has Standing Water Standing water is a sure sign there is a problem. The first thing you can try is to use a plunger. This is the least invasive method because it only uses pressurized air and water to move the clog. It might seem a bit weird putting your toilet plunger in the sink. That’s why they make these sink plungers that are designed specifically for this job. The downside to using one of these plungers is if the clog is too far down, and you have an overflow hole in your sink, the plunger will just move the pressure out of this hole. These types of plungers work best if the clog is right at the drain in the sink. If the clog is lower than that try plugging up the overflow hole with a rag or something like that. Don’t use toilet paper because some of it may break off and make the problem worse. Your goal is to move enough of the clog so the water moves out of the basin. If you drain the sink you can move on to the next method. Clean Out The Sink’s P-Trap The p-trap is a curved section of pipe that is below the sink. It is what the water drains through on its way out of your home. The curve in this section of pipe tends to get clogged as the stuff in the water slows down and settles. Bear in mind it’s pretty gross in this pipe, so if you are squeamish you may want to skip this option of unclogging the sink. To remove the p-trap start off by clearing out enough of the items below the sink to be able to work under there. You will need to access the back wall where the pipe goes into the wall. Use a pair of adjustable pliers that the jaws open wider than 1-½ inches. Loosen the nuts at both ends of the p trap. Once they get started with the pliers you should be able to finish loosening them by hand. Pay attention to how these nuts came off because you will be putting them back the same way. When the nuts are completely loosened you will slide the pipe out of the back wall and take it out from under the sink completely. Inspect the inside of it to see if it’s clogged. You may want to take it outside and use the hose to clean it out if this is an option. If not, take it to the kitchen sink to try to unclog it with water. Use something like a bottle brush if you have one to try to remove the clog. Install it back under the bathroom sink when you are done with the p trap. If this wasn’t the problem, and the clog is further down we can try the next method. How To Unclog A Bathroom Sink Clogged With Hair This method requires you to have access to a garden hose nearby. You will start by removing the p trap like in the previous method. Attach a Drain King to the end of the garden hose. Place it into the pipe coming out of the wall. You want to get it in there far enough to where it’s completely in the pipe plus a few extra inches. Turn the hose on the full amount. This works best if you have someone else helping you so one of you can hold the end of the hose in place and the other can control the water. Let the water run for several minutes. The Drain King will expand with water and form a seal in the pipe. The pressure will force the hair clog to move through the pipe. You want to let the hose run long enough to where it frees up the clog and moves it all the way through the pipe. Otherwise it may just stop and form another clog further down. How To Unclog A Bathroom Sink With Vinegar And Baking Soda Vinegar and baking soda are ingredients many people have in their home. This is one method for unclogging a drain, but isn’t always the best. Let’s try it to see if it works. Start off by boiling a pot of water to use in a bit. You then want to mix one cup of baking soda with one cup of vinegar and one cup of water. Once the pot of water is boiling, carry it to the bathroom and pour it down the drain. Be careful not to spill it as you carry it from the kitchen to the bathroom. After you pour it down the drain start another

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10 Best Garden Hoses Buyer’s Guide

Kevin

Finding the best garden hose can seem like a difficult task. There are so many hoses on the market, and they all have a different variety of features. There is a perfect garden hose for your home or work. Lets take a look at the best garden hoses and find the right one for you. Contents Best Overall Garden Hose Best Garden Hose For Drinking Water Best Kink Free Garden Hose Best Expandable Garden Hose Best Heavy Duty Garden Hose Best Environmentally Friendly Garden Hose Best Garden Hose For Small Spaces Best Garden Hose For Camper Most Durable Garden Hose Longest Lasting Garden Hose Best Overall Garden Hose Flexzilla Heavy Duty Garden Hose Flexzilla Heavy Duty Garden Hose Color: Zilla Green Weight: 3.8 Pounds Diameter: 5/8 inch Pressure: 150 PSI Length: 50 feet (more options available) Price: $38 Buy Now! The Flexzilla Garden Hose is all around an excellent option for many situations. It is highly versatile, giving it plenty of features that benefit in many ways. It’s bright color gives it plenty of visibility when you are doing tasks like mowing the lawn. Read below for a list of some of the features this Flexzilla hose has. Key Features: Best Garden Hose Flexible: It doesn’t get stiff and difficult to handle no matter the weather conditions. Use this hose the same way in different environments and conditions. Durable: This hose doesn’t wear down over time. Don’t worry about its losing durability after years of dragging it on multiple surface types. It handles cement, pebbles, brick and more well. It has an abrasion resistant outer cover that handles these surfaces. And the connection fittings are manufactured with airplane grade metal for a higher level of strength. No Kinking: The materials it’s made of have been designed to greatly reduce the tendency of kinking. The materials also help you to coil it when putting it away. But the coils will unwind smoothly when in use, preventing it from kinking. Your sprinkler won’t easily turn when you turn on the hose. Lightweight: At 3.8 pounds this hose is light enough to make it easy to use. Carry it comfortably to the hose bib you want to use it at when needed. Drag it around the yard with ease to use it wherever you need it. Leak Free Connections: The connections don’t leak when in use. This hose won’t form a puddle on your patio because of a steady stream of drips at the bib. And you won’t get any unwanted dripping on yourself when you are using the hose. Drinking Water Safe: We all remember drinking from the hose when we were young. But now we are more aware of the effects of harmful chemicals when ingested. This hose is drinking water safe, helping you rest easy when your family gets thirsty when in the yard. The Flexzilla Garden Hose gives you all the features you can wish for. It is a perfect option for any home, giving you exactly what you are looking for. This all weather hose is lightweight, and leak free. Get your Flexzilla garden hose today. Best Garden Hose For Drinking Water Camco TastePURE Water Hose Camco TastePURE Water Hose Color: White Weight: 1 Pound Diameter: 5/8 Inch Inner Diameter Pressure: Length: 25 Feet (more options available) Price: $21.99 Buy Now! The Camco TastePURE 25 foot water hose is safe for drinking water. The materials it’s made of don’t have any harmful chemicals that you don’t want to ingest. This means you can use it for a wider range of activities than most other hoses. Key Features: Garden Hose For Drinking Drinking Water Grade Materials: This hose is made of drinking water grade materials. The materials used in this hose do not include lead, BPA, or phthalates, ensuring a healthy to drink stream of water. Give yourself a potable water level hose wherever you need it most. Lead Free: This certified lead free hose meets higher standards than other water hoses. You don’t need to worry about not knowing if you are ingesting harmful chemicals like lead, because there is none in this hose. Versatile Uses: It can be used in more circumstances due to the higher grade materials used. Use it for RVing, camping, dog washing, and yard care among other options. Reinforced Materials: The diamond hatched reinforced PVC construction improves it’s kink resistance. Use it where you need it without any of the fuss. Made in the USA: This is a proud product made in the USA. Support American businesses by purchasing this Camco TastePURE water hose. The Camco TastePURE garden hose is a great option for you. With the fact that it is safe to drink from you can use it in more applications. It’s great for an RV where you will want a potable water hose. Get your Camco TastePURE hose today. Best Kink Free Garden Hose Back to the Roots Kink Resistant Garden Hose Back to the Roots Kink Resistant Garden Hose Color: Blue Weight: 6.8 Pounds Diameter: Pressure: Length: 50 Feet Price: $42.99 Buy Now! The Back To The Roots Garden Hose is a great option if you are tired of fighting kinks. It’s lightweight making it easy to use where it’s needed. The connection is certified by the Arthritis Foundation because it is easy to connect. It has a guarantee making it a safe purchase with no risk on your end. Key Features No Harmful Chemicals: Don’t worry about introducing harmful chemicals like Phthalates, Lead, and BPA to your garden. This hose does not have any in the materials it is made of. Lightweight: You won’t have trouble carrying it around the yard while you use it. The light weight product will be easy for you to take it where you need it to go. Good for Arthritis: This hose is certified by the Arthritis Foundation for having a hose connection that is comfortable to grip. That means it’s easy for people who have trouble with arthritis to connect this

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How To Cut PVC Pipe

Kevin

Knowing how to cut PVC pipe the right way is a skill every homeowner should know. PVC has many uses around the house, other than the plumbing purposes it was designed for. Cutting PVC is much easier than you think. Read on to find out what the best way to cut PVC pipe is with the use you have in mind. PVC pipe is a plastic pipe that is available in various sizes. It’s possible to cut it with a large variety of tools, and we will be discussing several of them in this article. There are three tools that are the most commonly used to cut PVC pipe. The number one tool is a hacksaw. Next is a ratcheting PVC pipe cutting tool. And the third most used option is an oscillating cutting tool. There are benefits to each of these options that we will talk about in a bit. The most common use for PVC is low pressure water transportation. An example of this is using it in a sprinkler system like one used to water a lawn. But the versatility of PVC is endless, as it is also a commonly used material for many crafts and DIY projects. Protective Equipment Safety Glasses Gloves It’s important to make sure you use proper safety equipment when doing any type of physical work that has moving parts. Cutting PVC pipe is no different. There are a few places that you can get injured, so for that reason we use protective equipment to help limit any injuries. It’s the hands and eyes that are the main places that can take an injury from this project. That means the two pieces of protective equipment to use are safety goggles, and work gloves. The safety goggles are important because several of the methods for cutting PVC will create burrs. It’s possible for these burrs to get in your eyes, so that’s why we wear safety goggles. Gloves are helpful because any of the methods used to cut PVC use sharp objects. We don’t want to risk cutting ourselves, so we wear gloves. They are also helpful with gripping the pipe during the cut. Tape Measure Felt Tip Marker The first step for making a cut is to know where it’s going to be. You are going to do this on pvc by using a tape measure and a felt tip marker like a sharpie. Hold the tape measure to one side of the pipe, and pull it out past the length you want to make the piece. Make a small mark with the sharpie at the location it is supposed to be. When you are cutting the pipe you want it to be as close to this mark as possible. Don’t leave too much extra space because you will need to make another cut. An even worse problem than this is if you cut the piece too small and need to start over. Try to be as accurate as possible. Best Methods For Cutting PVC Pipe Using Hand Tools Now it’s time to talk about the method of cutting the pipe. There are two main camps we put the tools for cutting PVC pipe in. The first are hand tools, and the second are power tools. The main goal when cutting PVC is to make the cut straight. If you are cutting it to attach fittings on the end, you are allowed to be a few degrees off of 90, but not much. Let’s talk about some of the different hand tools we use to cut PVC pipe. Cutting PVC Pipe With Hand Tools There are various tools that are commonly used for cutting PVC pipe. The first grouping we will talk about are the different types of saws. After we go through the saws, we will take a look at one hand tool that specializes in cutting PVC pipe. The common feature for all of these saws here is they have small teeth. This is a feature that is used for a fine cut when working with wood, or is needed for cutting metal. A fine toothed blade is important for cutting PVC because if the teeth were larger like on a hand saw used for cutting wood it would catch on the pipe and possibly tear it rather than cut. The biggest downside for cutting with any of the saws listed below is you will need some space around the pipe to use the saw. Saws are used by pushing and pulling it back and forth. This means they require several inches to about a foot on either side of the pipe. This will not work very well if the pipe is in a tight spot like framed into a wall. Thankfully we have a solution for this predicament. Cutting PVC With A Hacksaw The hacksaw is a commonly used tool for homeowners to have in their tool box. Using it to cut PVC is one of the most popular uses. There are a few things to focus on when cutting a piece of PVC with a hacksaw. Hack Saw Hold The Pipe Steady Like cutting anything with a saw, PVC needs to be held stable in order to make the cut. The best way to do this is to lay it on a solid surface, and hold it with one hand. If you want to be sure the cut is going to be as accurate as possible another thing you can do is use clamps to hold it down. How To Cut PVC Pipe Straight With A Saw A miter box is an open top box with several tracks (or grooves) that a handsaw fits in. The tracks are positioned in several commonly used angles, but in this case we are going to use the straight 90 deg angle. Use one hand to hold the pipe inside the box, but located towards the front of it. The other hand will use the saw. Place the saw in the track

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How To Install A Toilet By Yourself

Kevin

Learning how to install a toilet is not difficult. You don’t need any special tools beyond what you probably already own. This is a single person job that takes under an hour to finish. Take a look below for a list of tools, and the complete steps to successfully install a new toilet. Some toilet installs do not require all the tools below. This is dependent on what toilet installation kit you are using. Some kits require a hacksaw to cut the bolts that secure the bowl to the flange. Jump to the Secure the Toilet section below to see if you need a hacksaw. You may also need to replace the supply line (the water line that connects the toilet to the water valve on the wall. If your supply line is deteriorating a great deal you may want to buy a new one for this installation. You want it to be the same length as the one you have now. Measure the size of the connection attached to the valve on the wall, and talk to the people at the hardware store for help finding the exact one. Most times the existing one is fine to use again. We both know the best accessory for a toilet is a bathroom exhaust fan. Those of us who want one, but don’t have one yet, the article on How to install a bathroom fan where one doesn’t exist will take care of that problem. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbMmGao_0Ug How To Install A Toilet Step-By-Step The steps listed below will guide you through the process of removing the old toilet and installing the new one. I have a video for you to check out if that’s an easier way for you to learn how to do this type of project. The video has the same steps outlined in this article. Click on the video above for that tutorial. The most important thing to remember during this process is to not overtighten any of the bolts during this project. You will be working with porcelain which is susceptible to cracking if too much pressure is put on it. The amount of tightening should be up to where the bowl, tank, or seat does not wobble. Once you get to this point you can stop tightening. Shut Off The Water Supply To The Toilet I like to start this job by putting on rubber gloves. It makes me feel more comfortable when working with a used toilet to start by wearing gloves. Make sure you have extras handy and they are the right size because they may break during the process of this job. The water supply line is a water valve that sticks out of the wall near the ground. It’s usually somewhere behind the toilet to the left of it. Turn the valve to the right until you can’t turn it any more. You will need to get on your knees to find it. Remove Old Toilet Removal of the old toilet happens in a series of steps. With the water shut off you can flush the toilet to remove the water from the tank. There will still be some water in the bowl that can spill out when carrying it. This is why we use the garbage bag. Loosen the bolts at the base of the toilet. There is one bolt sticking up on either side of the bowl near the floor. Oftentimes there is a smooth cap covering the bolt. You can use the putty knife or the flat screwdriver to pry the caps off. Once the caps are off use the crescent wrench or the channellock pliers to loosen and remove the nuts. Take the nuts and washers off. Once the nuts are off, the toilet is free and loose from the floor. Open up the garbage bag and place it on the floor next to the toilet. When you lift the toilet straight up and off the bolts, place it on the garbage bag so any spills go in there and not all over the house. We use the contractor garbage bag for this because usually the kitchen garbage bags are too small to fit the toilet. If the toilet is too heavy to lift alone, you may want to get someone else to help you lift it. If you don’t have someone to help you, remove the tank from the bowl. This can only happen if you have a two piece toilet. You may need to lay on the floor to loosen the tank from the bowl. To remove the tank there are some plastic bolts that connect the tank to the bowl. Loosen the nuts with the channellock pliers. This can be brought directly outside when it is removed. Remove the Old Wax Ring The wax ring is used to prevent any sewer gasses from filling up the bathroom and causing a nasty smell in the house. It’s important to remove as much of the old wax ring before we can place the new one. Use the putty knife to scrape the wax off the flange. Any pieces of wax that are removed can be put in a disposable bag. A shopping bag is the perfect size for this stage of the job. Some wax rings have a funnel shaped gasket that faces downward into the toilet flange. This gasket needs to be removed from the flange along with the majority of old wax. Not all wax rings have this part. You won’t be able to get every last bit of wax off the flange, but do your best to scrape as much off the flange as possible. The toilet flange is the circular hole that is in the floor of the bathroom. It’s the hole that the water goes down when the toilet gets flushed. Disclaimer: Do your best to not drop anything down the flange hole, including chunks of wax. You may want to stuff a large rag in the opening of the flange while

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How To Reset A Circuit Breaker

Kevin

Knowing how to reset a circuit breaker is a valuable skill to have. It is not difficult, and can be done quickly. It can be dangerous if not done correctly. Follow the steps below to reset your circuit breaker the right way. Causes Of A Tripped Breaker Before dealing with the breaker box, it is important to understand what caused the problem in the first place. The breaker box is the location that the main electricity supply has come into the house. This supply is then divided up to various circuits around the house. This is to reduce the total electric flow going through the outlets and light fixtures, making it safer for us when using them. We say a circuit is “tripped” when it has been overloaded and no longer has power going to it. The breaker is designed to switch off, or “trip” before the electricity in the wires gets to a dangerous level. One way a circuit trips is when a GFCI outlet overloads and switches to the off position. If this happens, every other light and outlet on the same circuit after the GFCI will be turned off as well. You want to switch the outlet back on to regain power to these locations. GFCI Outlet Ground fault circuit interrupter or GFCI outlets are electrical outlets that are designed to be placed in proximity to water. It is recommended to have one of these outlets within 18 inches of a water source like a sink faucet. These outlets will trip, or switch to the “off” position when they are shorted or overloaded. You can push the reset button on the outlet to switch it back to the “on position. If it is not turning back on you may need to switch the breaker back on at the breaker box. How To Reset A Tripped Circuit Breaker Resetting a tripped circuit breaker is a simple process. If it tripped after you turned on a light or appliance, you want to unplug it or turn it off before switching the breaker back on. This is because you may run into the same problem of the circuit being overloaded after you switch it on. Go to the circuit panel. This is usually in the garage, but may be in another location. It should be somewhere that is easily accessed. There is also a chance of there being a subpanel which is separate from the main circuit panel. The subpanel looks similar to the main circuit panel, but generally smaller. The circuits in this panel are the same type as the main, and are checked the same way. Open the circuit panel, and look for a circuit that is “tripped”. This is indicated by the switch on the circuit that is in a different position than the rest. When they are in the “on” position they are facing the center of the panel. When they are tripped they are facing straight out. The “off” position is facing to the side of the panel. If it’s hard to tell which breaker is tripped, it’s okay to lightly push on them in the “on” direction. The ones that are not tripped will not move. The one that has been tripped will have a bit of movement, but will spring back into the center. Once you find the one that is tripped you want to flip it to the off position (towards the side of the panel). This will reset it. Now flip it to the on position. Congratulations, you reset a circuit breaker. Tripped Circuit Breaker Won’t Reset There is a chance the tripped circuit breaker won’t reset. If after you switch it to the on position it trips again you have a bigger issue. This can be caused by one of several problems that is happening. If you are a novice when it comes to electrical work I recommend seeking professional help. Electrical is not something you want to mess around with if you don’t know what you are doing. I put together a guide that will help you find a reliable contractor. This guide tells you what interview questions to ask once you found a potential candidate. It lets you know what their answers mean, and who you should avoid. And once you find the person you want to use it helps you draft up a contract to help protect yourself. It’s called The Contractor Search Guide. Check it out by clicking the image. How To Reset A Breaker In An Apartment Resetting a circuit breaker in an apartment is similar to the steps listed above. Hopefully you know where the circuit breaker is. It may be in a closet, or somewhere else hidden. This is a good thing to know where it is once you find it. Frequently Asked Questions How do you know if a breaker needs to be reset? The first sign that you will need to reset a circuit breaker is there is no power going to something you have plugged in. This could be a light, your cellphone, or a major appliance. Once you get to the breaker box, the first way to tell which circuit breaker is tripped is when the switch on one of them is facing the center position, when the others are all aimed at either the left or right position. You can push on this one in the direction the others are facing, and you will feel a spring like resistance. This means it is time to go through the process described above to reset it. What happens if a circuit breaker won’t reset? There are several reasons why a circuit won’t reset. The first one you want to consider is if there are any GFCI outlets on the circuit. If so, this outlet may be the culprit for why the power is not turning back on after resetting the breaker. There also may be the situation that the breaker itself has gone bad. If this is the case

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How To Install A Bathroom Fan Where One Doesn’t Exist

Kevin

Installing a bathroom fan where one doesn’t exist can be a major improvement in a bathroom. This project can be completed in a short period of time. But major problems can happen if you cut corners. This article will show you exactly how to install a bathroom fan where one doesn’t exist. You can find at this article: The Best Bathroom Exhaust Fan. Here you will learn what features bathroom fans have, and pick the right one for your home. There are many options out there which can seem overwhelming to sift through. The above article will narrow down the choices to the best few bathroom fans based on their features. Disclaimer: This project involves working with electricity, which can be dangerous if not done correctly. If you are uncomfortable with this type of work I recommend seeking help from a professional. If you are handy with tools this project won’t be hard for you to complete. On average this job is around 1-2 hours. It’s best to do it all at once because the power will be turned off to your bathroom while you are working.Here is a list of the required equipment and tools for the job. Equipment Bathroom Fan Ducting Vent Cover Pipe Clamp Tools Electric Drill Drillbit Extension Drill Bits Multi Screwdriver Hole Saw Drywall Saw Drywall Saw Will Adding A Fan Overload The Electrical Circuit? There are ways to tell if the circuit is safe to add a bathroom fan. This is important to know because you don’t want the circuit to trip every time you turn the fan on. This article does not cover the process of checking the circuit’s load capacity. A certified electrician can help you with this if needed. Steps For Adding A Bathroom Exhaust Fan Below are the main steps to installing a bathroom fan. They don’t need to be done in this order, but all these steps need to be completed in order for it to be completed properly. And one of the steps cant be done without preceding another step. Choosing the placement Attaching the vent properly Installing the electrical Securing the fan in place How To Choose The Bathroom Fans Placement There are a few factors that go into choosing the fan’s placement. Below are some of the key factors that go into mounting and running the duct. The consideration of running the power to the fan will be covered in the “Installing The Electrical” section below. The fan needs to be secured to a joist in the ceiling. Joists are pieces of lumber that run parallel to each other, that the sheet rock on the ceiling is secured to. One of the edges of the fan box will be flush against the edge of a joist for securement. Use a stud finder to find a joist that is relatively close to where you want the fan to be. The joists should be running in the direction of an exterior wall to help with future steps. You will run the vent in that direction without drilling through the joists. You want the fan to be somewhat in the middle of the bathroom. This generally looks good because its more symmetrical. Placing it closer to the toilet or the shower will assist in moving unwanted air out of the bathroom quickly. Don’t place it tight against one of the walls because this will be worse for airflow. If your fan has a light, keep that in mind when deciding on a location. You may want to have it slightly closer to the sink to cast the extra light in that area. It helps with the installation process if you place it close to an arms length from the exterior wall. But this isn’t set in stone because there are drill extensions that can help with a future step if needed. Hold the vent box up to the ceiling where you want the fan to go. Make sure one edge of the box is touching a joist before you trace its border with a pencil. Use a drywall saw to cut the opening for the fan. You want to have your safety glasses on and a dust mask for this part. There will be quite a bit of drywall dust that will fall. Run The Vent Duct Once you have a hole cut in the ceiling, you now have access to work in the ceiling cavity. Find the location the duct will vent outside. Get on a ladder and peek inside the opening to see what you are working with. Find a spot that is roughly equal distance from the top and bottom on the exterior wall. Drill with a pilot hole in the exterior wall midway between the top and bottom of the cavity. You may need an extender on your drill, depending on how far your opening is from the wall. I am using a one foot drill extension for this part of the project. Once you have a pilot hole you can take the drill outside. Here you will use the four inch hole saw to make a larger opening. Use the pilot hole to guide your drill placement. Once this hole is completed you can move to the next step. Install The Electricity The fan will need its own designated switch to be hooked up to. Some fans have extra features that can be used by other switches. If your fan is one of these you may want to consider a switch that has multiple functions on it. We covered fan placement above. But there is one thing to consider on the fan’s placement when considering the electricity. The electrical wire will need to be run from the switch to the fan. It’s easiest if the fan is in direct alignment between the joists with the switch. But you still can mount the fan where you want it even if it’s not

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How To Stop A Toilet From Running

Kevin

Knowing how to stop a toilet from running is a quick and simple process. You don’t need any special tools, and replacement parts are inexpensive. If you are not a diy, hands on type you can still fix a running toilet yourself. Follow the process in this article instead of paying an expensive plumber. There is a chance that after you try all the options listed below, your toilet still won’t stop running. Sometimes they get so old that it’s not worth it to keep fixing. If that’s the case, you will want to consider whether you should replace it. The good news is this option is not difficult at all. In fact I am confident that with the right tools, and enough time, you can do it yourself. I have gone through all the steps in this article titled How To Install A Toilet By Yourself. It includes a video to make sure you are comfortable with what you are doing. A good bathroom fan is an important feature in any bathroom. You can find out how to do this by checking out the article How To Install A Bathroom Fan. Here you will get a full understanding on what is required to install a new bathroom fan, and how to complete the project efficiently. Contents Diagnosing The Problem Parts of a Toilet Toilet Keeps Running Randomly Toilet Runs Constantly Toilet Keeps Running After Flushing How To Stop a Running Toilet In Seconds How To Fix A Running Toilet How To Fix A Running Toilet With A Button Flush Frequently Asked Questions Diagnosing The Problem Toilet Runs After Flush Toilet Runs Constantly Toilet Runs Randomly The reason for a toilet to run after being flushed is the flush valve is not going back down after the flush. There can be more than one reason for this, but they are easy to find. A constantly running toilet happens when the float is sitting higher than the overflow pipe. If the float is unable to do its job properly, it will not turn the water supply off. Randomly running toilets happen because the flapper/flush valve gasket is faulty. There are more than one reason for this, and there are more than one solutions to this. Parts of a Toilet There are more than one type of toilet out there. They all have similar parts, and work basically the same way. Once you understand the components that make a toilet work, you will understand more about how they may fail and cause the toilet to run. Most of the parts below are in every toilet style. The flapper and fill valve gasket serve similar functions but are different parts. And the other parts can look different but have the same functions. Fill Valve The fill valve is a vertical pipe with a valve at the top. It regulates the water flowing into the tank. It is designed to shut the water off when the float gets to a certain height. Float The float is a piece that rises with the water level. As it reaches a certain height it shuts off the water flowing out of the fill valve. The height of the water level can be adjusted by raising or lowering the float. Float Adjustment All floats have a way to adjust them. The floats on a newer fill valve generally have an adjustment screw. If turned to one direction it raises the float height, and the other direction lowers it. If your float is the type that is connected to a metal rod you will grip the rod with both hands, and bend it in the direction you want it to go. Overflow Pipe The overflow pipe is a requirement for all toilets. In the event of the fill valve malfunctioning, the overflow pipe transfers water to the toilet bowl instead of overflowing the tank. The height of this pipe should be below the tank rim. The water level height should be between one quarter of an inch and one inch below the top of the overflow pipe. Flapper The flapper is a rubber piece that is connected at the base of the overflow pipe. It is used for some toilet designs to create a watertight seal in the opening of the bottom of the tank. It is connected with a chain to the handle, which raises the flapper whenever the toilet is flushed. Flush Valve Gasket The flush valve gasket is a piece that has a similar function to a flapper, but on a different toilet design. Flush valves are a more compact stack that the gasket goes around, unlike a flapper that is offset. Handle The handle is the portion of a toilet that we use to flush when necessary. Inside the tank the handle is connected to the flapper or flush valve with a chain. Toilet Keeps Running Randomly There are a handful of reasons why a toilet keeps running randomly. You can narrow the investigation to a few key parts. All of these parts will be located in the toilet tank. This is the rectangular portion that is closest to the wall and higher than the bowl. Begin by taking the lid off the tank. Inside the tank are several parts designed to work together. If one of these parts stop working right it may be the reason for the toilet running. Let’s take a look at the different parts of a toilet, and what their functions are. This can help you understand what you are looking for. Toilet Runs Constantly The number one reason why a toilet runs constantly is because the float is set at a higher level than the top of the overflow pipe. This causes the water to spill into the bowl, keeping the water flowing and not shutting off. The fix for this is simple and does not need replacement parts. The solution to this problem is to adjust the height of the float so that the water

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Three Borax Ant Killer Recipes You Can Make At Home

Kevin

The borax ant killer recipe in this article is easy to make. In fact chances are you probably already have the ingredients in your house. If you don’t, they are very easy to get. If it helps you click the image in this article of the ingredient you need. Now lets get into how to make three borax ant killer recipes. Disclaimer: The product links in this article are affiliate links. That doesn’t mean you will be paying any extra when you purchase. The price you pay is the same as if they were not affiliate links. I get a commission on each sale, which is a big help for me to keep this blog operating. Thank you for your assistance. Borax is a common household product that has many uses. It typically comes in a cardboard box and is a white powdery substance. It can be naturally occurring and contains boron, sodium, and oxygen. You may have it already at your home, but if you don’t it’s easy to find at a store that sells cleaning supplies. Borax is an ingredient for a diy ant killer recipe. In fact there are several recipes that can be tried, but I am going to share with you what I believe is the best one. It has three ingredients that are easy to get. Like other ant baits, this diy ant bait recipe is one that will take a bit of time to work. It may take a few days before you stop noticing the ants. This is because it takes time for them to consume the bait and bring it back to the colony. Contents Best Borax Ant Killer Recipe Recipe For Borax And Sugar To Kill Ants Recipe #1 Recipe #2 Recipe #3 Frequently Asked Questions Conclusion Best Borax Ant Killer Recipe There are several different recipes that can be used to kill ants with borax. The first recipe I am going to teach you is my favorite recipe. I use this one the most, and think this is the first one you should try. The other recipes may be better for different applications, but still do the job well. Now let’s get into the best borax ant killer recipe. Recipe For Borax And Sugar To Kill Ants The two key ingredients that will be used are borax and sugar. The sugar is to lure them in to eat the bait, and the borax is going to kill the colony. The way it works is the ants will find the sugar mixture and consume it. They will then carry it back to the colony. It’s in the colony where the rest of the ants, including the queen, will eat the mixture. Soon you will have no more ant problems. Borax Ant Killer Recipe #1 This first recipe is my favorite. It isn’t hard to make, and doesn’t take any special equipment either. In fact the equipment that is needed for it are common items that you most likely have in the home. If you don’t have the exact items listed below you can substitute what you do have. Ingredients Borax Sugar Water Equipment Gloves Measuring Spoon Mixing Bowl Spoon When making any of the recipes in this article, it is always recommended to use protective gloves. Borax is a chemical that can cause skin irritation. Avoid contact whenever possible, and use necessary protective equipment as well. You don’t need much of the ingredients to make a bait station for ants. These can be placed anywhere there are visible signs of ants in your home. They will eat the bait and take it back to the nest. There it will kill the nest, getting rid of the ants in your home. Borax to Sugar Ratio The ratio for the bait is 1:1. You want to use equal parts of borax and sugar for this recipe to work the best. The amount of water may vary slightly, but it won’t take much water to make. The goal is for you to make it into a paste-like consistency. This will keep the poison in a solid state so the ants have an easy time taking it back to their nest. Small Batch of Borax Ant Killer Recipe Typically households that have an ant problem inside don’t need to make much of this poison. That’s why we will take a look at the recipe for making a small batch of it. If you need a larger amount you can scale up the quantities of each ingredient. Steps Pour 1 tbsp of borax in a mixing bowl with 1 tbsp of sugar. Add water to the mixture in small increments at a time. Mix it up adding more water until it is in a paste-like consistency. Transfer the mixture to the shallow dish and place it near the ant trail. If the ants are coming down a wall you can put this dish near the wall where it is directly below their trail. If they are on a counter you will want to place it nearby so it is as close to the trail as possible. You will need to be patient at this point. Soon a scout ant will find the poison and tell the others. Until then you can only wait. Borax Ant Killer Recipe #2 This is a variation of the first recipe, and requires the same ingredients. The main difference is there is one extra piece you are going to need. Ingredients Borax Sugar Water Cotton Ball Equipment Gloves Measuring Spoons Mixing Bowl Spoon The only additional ingredient is the cotton ball. I am calling this an ingredient because it is mixed with the other ingredients and used as a delivery tool. The ratio of borax to sugar is still the same. Use equal parts borax and sugar. You want to use more water this time to make it easier to saturate the cotton ball. Make the mixture a liquid,

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