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Home improvement and renovation tips

The proper way to install a double drain

Here's a common plumbing faux pas. Maybe you've even committed it yourself when replacing old plumbing with fresh new ABS. The good news is, it's an easy fix. In a double-drain kitchen sink, the drain setup often looks like this. The drainage will be good from the one side, but because the center T should ...

How to install a basement bathroom

You can never have enoughâ€¦ bathrooms. At least, that's what some families discover. If all that's left is the basement, here are some things to look for while planning the new loo-cation. If you're lucky enough to have the main sewage drain below the level of the basement floor -- which is the norm in ...

Save energy with an upstairs laundry room – 3

It's only a laundry room, but it's still a room in your house, and since it's on the busy upper floor, it's going to get visited more often. So have fun decorating it. You may want to extend your home's dÃ©cor into the laundry room, or maybe let your inner designer go wild, trying out ...

Save energy with an upstairs laundry room – 2

If you're sold on the benefits of an upstairs laundry room, here are some things you need to consider. If you're building new, you have the opportunity to beef up the floor. One drawback to an upstairs laundry room (depending on your appliances), is vibration. Extra blocking between the joists in this area can't hurt. ...

Save energy with an upstairs laundry room – 1

It came from the basement. Long tucked in a dusty, cold corner, a bare lightbulb casting eerie shadows behind it, it was ready to join the livingâ€¦ Then main floor laundry rooms became popular. Now, there was no longer a need to lug a load of laundry down to the dreary basement to wash it, ...

Metals that don't mix

While you might think that metals like galvanized steel, copper and aluminum will last forever, there are certain circumstances under which they will corrode. The trick is to avoid those situations. Refined metals are unstable, and can be affected by interaction with other metals and materials. And that can lead to real problems when it ...

Help for "lazy" toilets – fix the flush

If your toilet is getting lazy -- that is, if it's not flushing as well as it should be -- it probably just needs a little attention. A toilet flushes by quickly filling with water, which begins the flush. Then siphoning action from the p-trap finishes things off. So a few things can lead to ...

Unclog that toilet

Mostly, your toilet sits there doing its job. It's only when you have problems that you start to think about it. A clogged toilet really gets you thinking about it, especially when Nature is insistently calling.Fear not, there's hope. Your first weapon of choice should be the venerable plunger. Looks simple enough. But do you ...

How to stop a toilet leak (Part II)

Last time, we identified a few causes of water around your toilet. Here are some more.If the water's still leaking near the tank, you need to replace the tank-to-bowl gasket. To do this, shut off and disconnect the water line. Flush and drain the tank as much as possible. Then remove the tank bolts, and ...

How to stop a toilet leak (Part I)

If your toilet is leaking, and you're not sure where it's coming from, it's time to do some detective work. Dry up the water regularly, and examine the area around the toilet. If the bowl and tank are generally wet, there's a good chance it's condensation, caused by cold water constantly running into the toilet. ...