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Helpful Handyman Tips From The St. Louis Handyman

More Helpful Hints From the St. Louis Handyman
Given the current housing market, many people are staying in their homes longer. And when something goes wrong, they’re learning to do repairs and maintenance themselves. Whether you’re freshening up to sell or looking to enjoy what you already have, here are simple how-tos for solving the most common problems.

Patch a Small Hole or Crack
If you have an old house-or can afford a fixer-upper-you may have some patching to do. Here’s how. Cover nearby floors and furniture with drop clothes to protect from dust. Carefully cut away any rough edges around the hole or crack with a utility knife sand gently and wipe away any dust. Measure a wall repair patch against the hole, allowing for a small overlap. For cracks, follow the same procedure using mesh repair tape. Cut the patch or tape with scissors and apply, adhesive side down, over hole or crack. Use a small puddy knife to apply a generous first coat of “mudd” (a.k.a. lightweight joint compound) above the patch or repair tape, then spread up and down, side-to-side, and corner-to-corner. Allow area to dry completely, about eight hours. Then sand with 80-grit sandpaper.
With a larger putty knife, apply a second coat of mudd to the entire area, using the same technique. Use fine sandpaper (150 grit) to sand area. Wipe any dust before priming and painting.

Open a Stuck Window
The best tool for this project is a pizza cutter! Carefully run the wheel of the pizza cutter around the perimeter of the window and apply lubricating spray in the side channels (the groove in the window frame). Use your fist to gently tap around the same area. Now open the window. Once you have it open, remember to clean the channels and apply lubricating spray again.

Unclog a Toilet
Clogs happen regularly, in homes new and old. When one occurs, immediately turn off the water supply to the toilet at the shut-off valve behind the toilet. Remember this rule of thumb: righty tighty, lefty loosey. Place a toilet plunger directly over the toilet drain hole (make sure there’s enough water to cover the plunger) and plunge rapidly 12 times. If it doesn’t work, repeat. If that fails, insert a toilet auger (around $10 at hardware stores) inside the drain hole. Maneuver the rubber tubing completely down the metal spring to avoid marring the bowl. Turn the handle clockwise until the entire spring has been fed through and reaches the obstruction into the drainage system or pull it out. Turn the shut-off valve back on and flush.

Clear Out a Garbage Disposal
When your garbage disposal is jammed, resist the urge to keep grinding whatever is in there. Instead, turn off the power to the appliance. Use a flashlight to view the obstruction, then use a tongs or long needle nosed pliers to remove it. Never put your hand inside a garbage disposal. Should that fail, turn off the power to the disposal at the wall switch and the main service panel. Insert an Allen wrench into the hole located on the exterior base of the disposal. Turn the wrench clockwise and counterclockwise until you can move it in a complete circle. This means the object has been dislodged. It has either gone into the drainage system or it is still inside the disposal and can be removed with tongs or needle nosed pliers. Once you remove the object, turn on the power at the main service panel. Locate the reset button at the exterior base of the disposal and press it. Turn on the cold water at the sink and flip the wall switch on for the disposal.

Weather-strip Your Windows and Doors
According to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, a third of a home’s energy is lost through its windows and doors-and that’s when they are closed. Instead of replacing them, save money and energy by insulating with weather stripping. The easiest way to check for air leaks is using a piece of paper. Open the front door, put the piece of paper in the doorjamb and close the door. If you can pull the paper out easily, there’s an air leak. Try the same thing on the windows. When purchasing insulation, invest in a product that’s easy to install (such as rubber weather-stripping) and comes with a warranty. For a double-hung window, cut the weather stripping to size and peel off backing. Next, apply weather-stripping in the channel-the groove in the window frame-on the bottom of the sash on the lower window and in the upper window. Then apply the weather-stripping into the middle channel of the vertical jambs on both sides of the windows. To insulate an exterior door, apply weather-stripping to the doorjamb and to the top and bottom of the doorframe.