April 27, 2009

           Flo has a weird toilet:   It flushes by itself several times a day.  Is this a serious problem?  Do I have to live with it?

            It's trying to tell you something:   I'm leaking and I need attention.  First, to confirm my diagnosis, add a little food coloring to the tank.   Wait for it to "flush", then take a look in the bowl.   If some of the color has leaked in,  you know the flapper valve has a pin hole and is letting water dribble into the bowl.   The noise you hear is the valve  working to restore the water level after it falls to a certain level. 

            The fix is easy.  Replace the flapper with a new one, and , while you're in there, do the filler, too.  I like the FluidMaster brand because it's quite homeowner-friendly.  They require virtually no tools or prior experience.   You can buy both valves on a plastic shrink card for around $10-$12.  

            One more thing:  if you have a toilet that's 20 years or older, the leak can be in the porcelain on the underside of the flapper.  Not to worry.  Look for a replacement set with a metal valve seat and glue you can squish in place over the hole.

             Lee has a bath fan issue:  I live in an old house.  I don't want to chop a hole in the side or the roof.  Can I vent the bath fan into the attic?  How about mold issues up there?

            The moist air from this fan needs to go somewhere.  If it simply blasts into the attic space, it will eventually produce mold.  You need to aim the end of the tube directly at one of the attic vents (my preference for this, by the way, is one of those gable vents in the end of the house).   That way, you'll avoid building up high humidity in the attic.   Don't forget to create a flat spot in the tube by bending it just above the bathroom ceiling.   Why?  As moisture condenses in the cold pipe, it will remain in the little "trap" you've created-eventually evaporating-- instead of dripping through the ceiling.  

            Bill has a cat issue:   They come into my yard to do their business.  How can I get them out of here?  Or at least discourage them.

            You can buy cat repellant spray at some pet stores or on line.   Also, red pepper flakes can by a deterrent.  Trouble is, you have to keep renewing them every week or so.  If they go in a specific area every time, scatter dried pine cones around, so they can't find a smooth place to walk and squat.

            Cat don't like to be startled.  You can find motion detector sprinkler heads that will do just that.  I've heard folks say they work well to deter creatures of all kinds, including your neighbor's feline.   When the critter gets close, he's greeted with a short, sharp burst of water that will be long remembered after a time or two.  Check out www.pondparts.com for starters.  

            Speaking of startling, I found a charming anecdote on line by a woman who finally found a use for one of those singing fish toys that belt out Limbo Rock or some other ditty when their little motion detector is activated.   She half buried one in the garden, and when the cat came by, the fish began howling and twitching, and, she says, the animal went straight up into the air five feet, ran from the yard and was never seen again.

            Amy has a moisture issue:  We moved into a 1941 house.  When we shower, there are brown drops on the ceiling that smell funny when you wipe them off. 

            They maybe leaching some minerals out of the plaster ceiling.   I think you need more ventilation ASAP.  Install a through-the-wall fan or one in the ceiling that exhausts through the attic (see Lee's problem, above).