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Wood Floors on Concrete, Plumbing Repair and Finding Carpet Stains
This is a very full show covering many different topics. We start off commenting on a article in Fine Home Building magazine about wood floors over concrete, address two listener questions (one on leaky faucets and one on garbage disposals), and then we wrap up the show with a tip from Brian about how to find pet stains in carpet.
Wood floors on concrete
Can this be done? Sure it can. Brian and Paul comment on an article in Fine Homebuilding. The Author, Charles Peterson, discusses a technique that uses two layers of plywood and a vapor barrier to create a stable, floating, subfloor for installation of your finished floor. Check it out and listen to The Handyguys comments in the podcast.
Drippy faucets
The Handyguys love getting questions where the answer is simple and inexpensive. We received this question from Cheryl:
I have a leaky bathtub faucet, it started dripping and it has gotten worse, do I need to replace the entire faucet? My house was built in 1953 and I’m guessing the faucet is probably that old too! It consists of two knobs, one of hot and cold and the spigot of course. I think both the hot and cold are leaking, I can’t really determine which one it is! Thanks for any help you can provide.
Cheryl – Thanks for your question. NO, you do not need to replace the faucet. The fix is pretty simple. We assume you mean the drip is coming from the spout, not from behind the handles. Our friends over at Hammer Zone have put together some instructions. I’ll let you read them instead of my recreating the steps here. Check out HammerZone’s how to replace a washer article and listen to our podcast for details.
There could be a few other issues. Give the washer replacement a try first, its easy to do.
Some possible pitfalls
- The washer screw is broken off
- The seat (what the washer presses against) is damaged
- Parts are corroded preventing removal
- The handle you have may remove differently than in the pictures at Hammerzone
If you have trouble please let us know. You can hear our discussion of the issue in the podcast.
Garbage Disposal Smells
This stinky issue keeps generating interest. We have received many tips and tricks. We thought we would answer Dave’s question and pass along his tip.
I always shut off the circuit breaker to the disposal anytime I am going to stick my hand in there. Just to be sure that it will not turn off.
Have you guys used Draino? I had a problem where soft foods weren’t getting shredded enough to go down the drain so I started getting an odor. I poured Draino down there and after it sat for awhile. I ran it again and the food and smell were gone. Do you know of any problems in using Draino in a disposal. ex corrosion or other problems?
Good tip about the circuit breaker Dave, better safe than sorry. As for Draino. Yes and No. It depends on which Draino product you are considering. Check the label. The crystals are not recommended for garbage disposers, the gel is fine according to the manufacture. Bottom line, check the label.
Another Handyguy Tip
Have a pet stain that you are having trouble finding? Use a UV light, sometimes called a black-light. The stain will glow. These work best when used in a darkened room. Once you find the stain you can clean it. Check out this black-light. Simple Solution Spot Spotter Ultraviolet Urine Detector
In regards to the draino: I would not put that down your drain. In most cases draino is very dangerous and can lead to holes in your drain from the acid in the draino. You should use an enzyme to get rid of the build up in your drains (most hardware stores have this). Also, Draino will tarnish the finish on most faucets and the pop-up assembly in lave sinks and may burn thru copper and cast iron drains after a period of time.
There are many environment friendly alternatives available for draino as it might prove harmful to drains. A home made method can be: Pour half a cup of baking soda down the drain and follow it with a 1/2 cup of white vinegar. Let it sit for 20 mins to 1/2 hour and then pour about 2 quarts of boiling water down.
There are many environment friendly alternatives available for draino as it might prove harmful to drains. You can also use vinegar, a metal coat hanger.