You-Can-Fix-It.com

Window boxes can add charm and color to any structure on your property. Consider adding a window box to your home, garage or storage shed.

Step 1: Choose a window that faces the south, east or west and measure the width of the window. Window boxesshould be 5” wider than the window itself.

Step 2: Decide on the best way to mount the window box. Options include window box brackets, shelf brackets, angle brackets or direct mounting with screws or hanger bolts.

Step 3: Determine the ideal position for the window box. Boxes can be mounted directly below the bottom sash of sliding or double hung windows. Outside opening casement windows pose an interesting challenge, as the box will need to be hung low enough so when the window opens it does not hit the flowers and vegetation in the window box.

Step 4: Use a level to draw a plum line beneath the window that corresponds with the desired height of the top or bottom of the window box.

Step 5: Choose the proper spacing of the window brackets or mounting screws. For wood frame houses, brackets should be mounted on either side of the window into the window framing studs. For stone or masonry structures, brackets should be space to avoid mortar lines.

Step 6: Use a hammer, drill, and properly sized bit to drill screw holes directly into the brick or stone. Use a regular drill for mounting brackets into wood framed structures. Pre-drill all screw holes to avoid damage to the siding or structure.

Step 7: Use the proper length screws to securely mount the brackets onto the structure wall. Use a level to assure the brackets are plumb.

Step 8: Ideally window boxes should be mounted an inch away from the actual structure wall. If the mounting brackets do not allow for this, or if boxes are being screwed directly to the structure, use spacers or washers to allow for water flow behind the box and to assure the boxes do not damage the structure wall.

Step 9: Once the brackets are installed or the direct mount screw holes have been drilled, mount the window box with appropriate sized screws.

Fill the box with a lightweight soil medium (Miracle-Gro Potting Mix is amazing) and plant an array of flowers, vegetables or herbs. Water regularly and watch as a little bit of nature brightens the day for months to come.

You-Can-Fix-It.com Subscribe to our email list using the form below: Email Confirm email I prefer to receive emails in Text format

To seed or not to seed, that is the question. Spring is a great time to over seed an existing lawn. Sunshine is abundant in those normally shady spots and springtime rains assure an adequate supply of moisture. Spring is also the only time you can control crabgrass with a organic or chemical pre-emergent . Unfortunately, seeding and crabgrass control don’t mix. Typical pre-emergent inhibits all grass production, good or bad.

Step 1: If you can’t decide between over seeding or crabgrass control, try Tupersan/Siduron. It is the only chemical on the market today which can selectively inhibit crabgrass germination while allowing fescues and other cool season grasses to grow. Siduron is the active ingredient found in Scott’s Step One for Seeding and Starter Fertilizer with Crabgrass Control. These products must be applied during or immediately following seed application. Left undisturbed, Tupersan/Siduron can control crabgrass for up to five weeks. Relatively new to the market, Tupersan/Siduron is a rather costly, but effective, means of chemical crabgrass prevention.

Step 2: A slightly less costly and environmentally friendly pre-emergent, available at local hardware stores and garden centers, is corn gluten. Corn gluten is a byproduct of the corn milling process and works as a pre-emergent, while providing an excellent source of nitrogen for existing plants. Corn gluten inhibits seed germination and prohibits root production on new plants for up to six weeks. Apply 10 – 20 pounds of corn gluten per 1000 sq ft of lawn, water lightly and allow the lawn to dry completely.
Infrequent watering and bi- annual application will enhance corn gluten’s ability to insure a chemical free, weed free, thick, luscious lawn.

Step 3: Crab grass seeds begin to germinate when soil temperatures rise above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Pre-emergent, including Tupersan/Siduron and corn gluten, should be applied before the forsythia bushes are done blooming. If lilac bushes are in full bloom, it is probably too late to use a pre-emergent for crabgrass control.

Step 4: Pre-emergent is activated through hydration. Once pre-emergent has been applied, water the lawn with a fine soft spray. After its initial wetting, excessive rainfall or continued watering will inhibit the pre-emergent’s ability to restrict weed growth.

Step 5: Pre-emergent acts as a protective barrier on top of the soil. Raking, scratching or in any way disturbing the ground in the weeks following pre-emergent application will ultimately compromise its effectiveness.

Email us at info@you-can-fix-it.com to request new fix-it ideas. We also encourage you to add comments or suggestions below each article.

You-Can-Fix-It.com Subscribe to our email list using the form below: Email Confirm email I prefer to receive emails in Text format

About Ants: eliminating Ants inside:

When the ants come marching two-by-two, into your kitchen, “hurrah, hurrah” is most likely not the first phrase that comes to mind. With a little due diligence and some chemical intervention, you can fix your ant problem in no time.

Step 1: Prevention is the key to all solutions. Make sure your gutters and down spouts are directing moisture away from your foundation. Caulk all cracks and crevices around the base of your home. Seal window openings with weather strip or caulk and replace any worn door sweeps or thresholds.

Step 2: Reduce the ant’s available food supply by taking out the trash and washing dishes regularly. Wipe down counter tops, sweep or vacuum floors daily and clean out cabinets where food may have spilled.

Step 3: Place solutions of boric acid and sugar water in areas that ants frequent. Terro is by far the best product on the market. The liquid can be applied to a cotton ball or swatch of cardboard and placed in areas where ants frequent. Terro is also available in handy liquid filled trays. The ants carry the solution back to their nest and effectively eliminate the entire colony. Boric acid is harmless and safe to use around pets and children, as well as in food preparation areas.

Step 4: If Terro or some other form of boric acid does not do the trick, the next step is to sprinkle a granular deterrent around the perimeter of your home. Diatomaceous earth is the organic granule of choice, but there are several more toxic alternatives such as Terro granules, Ortho Bug B Gon or Sevin dust. Sprinkle the granule or powder around the foundation of your home to eliminate ants and other insects before they enter your home.

Step 5: The last and most aggressive choice of defense against ants is a residual liquid spray. Ortho’s Home Defense or Enforcer’s Bug Max 365 are very effective and safe to use in and around the home. Spray base boards, window sills, doorways and other points of entry, both inside and out. Once dry, the chemicals are relatively harmless to humans and other mammals, but will work to control unwanted pests for up to a year.

Taking a little time to eliminate ants in your home today, will have you singing “Harrah, Harrah” long past tomorrow.

Though ants are beneficial for aerating your lawn, they serve no useful purpose inside your home.

Email us at info@you-can-fix-it.com to request new fix-it ideas. We also encourage you to add comments or suggestions below each article.

You-Can-Fix-It.com Subscribe to our email list using the form below: Email Confirm email I prefer to receive emails in Text format

Spring is a great time to plant a tree for shade and savings. Trees not only increase the value of your property, but can also reduce energy costs by providing much needed summer shade.

Step 1: Choose the right tree. Height, canopy spread, and hardiness should be taken into consideration; as well as sun and moisture requirements. Purchasing trees from a local nursery will insure the tree you select is appropriate for the climate in your area.

Step 2: Use a digging shovel to dig a hole, not too big and not too small. Too deep of a hole will limit the amount of oxygen roots have access to. A narrow hole will restrict root growth and reduce nutrient intake. Generally, the hole should be the same height as the existing root ball or container and 3-4 times wider.

Step 3: Dig the hole six inches deeper than necessary and back fill the hole with loose soil until it is the same depth as the root ball or container. Adding soil amendments when planting trees is not recommended. Simply use the soil you removed to fill in around the tree.

Step 4: Remove any strings, tags or wires from the tree and cut away the material covering the tree’s root ball. If the ball is covered with a natural material, like burlap, cut the material away from the top two thirds of the root ball. If the material is synthetic or plastic remove it completely.

Step 5: Gently place the tree into the hole. Handle the tree by its root ball, rather than its trunk or limbs.

Step 6: Once the tree has been positioned properly, cover the roots loosely with the soil you removed. Be sure to leave the area around the tree base exposed.

Step 7: Cover the planting area with one to three inches of mulch. Do not over mulch and keep the mulch away from the trunk of the tree too prevent rotting.
Step 8: Water the tree thoroughly and keep the soil moist around the tree base of the next several weeks, gradually increase the time between watering to acclimate the tree to natural rain fall.

Generally, trees do not need to be staked. If you do stake a tree, remove the stakes after the first year.

When it comes to old light fixtures, repairing rather than replacing is always a good option.

Replacing a lamp socket assembly is an easy way to extend the life of an old light fixture.

Step 1: Make sure the lamp is unplugged, or the power supply has been shut off.

Step 2: Remove the light bulb and disassemble the metal socket. Typically, the top of the brass shell can be pulled apart from the bottom of the shell. Use a flat head screw driver to pry the two pieces apart if necessary.

Step 3: Loosen the terminal screws on either side of the aluminum socket. Remove the wires from both screws. If the wires are tied in a knot, untie the knot and straighten the wires. Loosen the set screw on the stem of the outer shell, unscrew the outer shell from the lamp nipple and slip the bottom of the shell up and off the wires.

Step 4: Pull the ends of the wire apart leaving about three inches of wire free on each side. Cut off the frayed ends and use a knife or wire stripper to expose one half inch of bare wire. Twist the wire ends tightly, to create two separate probes of exposed wire.

Step 5: Slip the newly exposed wire ends through the bottom of the new shell and screw the shell onto the lamp nipple. Secure the bottom of the shell in place by tightening its set screw.

Step 6: Secure the wire into place by tying it into an underwriters knot. Form two loops, much like butterfly wings, with each wire end. One wire should be looped behind the undivided portion of the wire and the other looped in front of it. Feed the tips of the wire through their opposing loops and pull tightly to secure the wires.

Step 7: Wrap the wire ends clockwise onto the terminal screws of the new lamp socket. As you tighten the screws the wire should be pulled neatly under the screw head.

Step 8: Make sure the terminal screws are tight and there are no loose wires sticking out. Slip the cardboard insulator over the aluminum shell and slide the outer shell over it.

Step 9: Snap the outer shell into place, screw in the light bulb and turn the power back on.
If all is well, you should have a safe, working light fixture for many years to come.

Fix a Leaky Toilet, Fill Valve

If you have recently replaced the tank flapper and your toilet is still running,
it may be time to pull out the big guns and replace your ball cock, aka fill valve. I prefer the Fluid Master Brand fill valves over the old style floating ball types. They are much easier to adjust and tend to have fewer problems in the long run.

Step 1 – Shut off the water supply to the toilet, hopefully using the shut off valve located below the stool. Flush the toilet and then use a sponge to soak up the remaining inch or so of water in the toilet tank. Place some towels on the floor below the tank to soak up any residual water that may leak out during the repair process.

Step 2 – Remove the old fill valve. Begin by unscrewing the water supply line beneath the tank. Use an adjustable wrench to loosen and remove the nut located between the supply line nut and the tank. Inside the tank, disconnect the fill tube from the over flow pipe and lift out your old fill valve.

Step 3 – Using the water line marks inside your tank, adjust the new fill valve to the appropriate height. Make sure the fill valve does not touch the sides or top of the toilet tank. Reference the fill valve instructions for other necessary adjustments before completing the installation.

Step 4 – Place the shank washer on the fill valve shaft, insert the fill valve through the base of the tank and hand tighten the lock nut beneath the tank. Tightening the nut too much could crack the porcelain, resulting in the need for a whole new toilet… so be careful.

Step 5 – Once the new fill valve is positioned and secure, reconnect the water supply line below and re-attach the fill tube from the fill valve to the overflow pipe. Follow the fill valve instructions to make any additional adjustments, turn your water supply back on, replace the tank lid, pick up your tools and flush away at will.

Email us at info@you-can-fix-it.com to request new fix-it ideas. We also encourage you to add comments or suggestions below each article.

You-Can-Fix-It.com

Fix leaky toilet- Flapper

Step 1: To replace your worn toilet tank flapper, begin by shutting off the water supply.

Step 2: Flush the toilet to empty the tank and carefully remove the tank lid. Set the lid somewhere safe. The lid is very fragile and nearly impossible to replace, so don’t break it.

Step 3: Unhook the flapper chain from the end of the flush lever and remove the old flapper. Old flappers can be very gooey, so put on rubber gloves or grab a cloth before removing it. Take the old flapper with you when choosing an appropriate replacement. In today’s market there are lots of options available, but basically if it looks the same, it’s the right one. I recommend spending a little more and upgrading to a longer lasting tank flapper, these are usually red or green and are guaranteed to last five or more years.

Step 4: If your old flapper attached to the overflow tube with side tabs, you may need to snip off the adapter ring between the tabs on your new flapper. Be sure to center the flapper over the drain hole to form a water tight seal. Attach the chain to your flush lever and turn the water back on.

Step 5: Check for leaks around the flapper. Adjust the chain so the lever does not hit the tank lid when you flush, but the tank flapper stays up long enough for the toilet bowl to empty. This may take some time, but there is a happy medium, and once you find it you will more fully understand and appreciate the amazing dynamics of the modern flush toilet.

Step 6: Finally, replace the tank lid, flush the stool once more for good measure and pat yourself on the back for a job well done.

Email us at info@you-can-fix-it.com to request new fix-it ideas. We also encourage you to add comments or suggestions below each article.

You-Can-Fix-It.com

If water is seeping out from beneath the toilet bowl or there is a faint smell of sewer gas in the bathroom, it is definitely time to replace the toilet bowl wax ring.

Step 1: Remove the tank lid and place it in a safe spot. Lay a few towels on the floor to set the toilet on once it has been removed. The towels will cushion the stool and absorb residual water from the tank or bowl.

Step 2: Turn off the water supply to the toilet and flush the stool holding the trip lever down to drain as much water as possible. Use a plunger to remove the excess water held in the trap. Once the water has been drained, disconnect the supply line from the toilet tank.

Step 3: Remove the bolt caps on either side of the toilet base. Use an adjustable wrench to loosen the nuts holding the stool in place. If the nuts are too corroded to remove, use a hacksaw to cut the bolts off below the nuts.

Step 4: Lift the toilet up and off the flange bolts and carefully set it upside down on the towels you laid out earlier.

Step 5: Use a putty knife to scrape the remains of the old wax ring from both the toilet flange and the base of the stool. Clean the area thoroughly to make sure that the new ring will stick properly to both the toilet and the flange.

Step 6: Press the new wax ring over the outlet on the base of the stool. If the ring has a black plastic flange, it should be pointing out away from the stool.

Step 7: Install new toilet bolts onto the floor flange using plastic retaining washers to hold them in place.

Step 8: Preferably with the help of someone to guide you, lift the toilet up and carefully set it back into place. It is very important that the stool is aligned properly with the floor flange before setting the stool into place.

Step 9: Use your body weight to compress the wax ring into place, slightly twisting the stool to assure a proper seal.

Step 10: Secure the toilet into place by hand tightening the nuts onto the flange bolts. Be careful not to over tighten them as the porcelain will crack under pressure.

Step 11: Reattach the water supply line to the toilet tank. Make necessary adjustments to the flushing mechanisms in the tank.

Turn the water supply on and flush the toilet to assure everything is working properly.
Replace the tank lid, pick up your tools and put the toilet seat down before washing your hands of yet another successful household repair.

There are many different types and sizes of wax toilet rings. For best results choose a #3 urethane reinforced wax ring with the black plastic flange.

Email us at info@you-can-fix-it.com to request new fix-it ideas. We also encourage you to add comments or suggestions below each article.

You-Can-Fix-It.com

Crabgrass is an invasive weed that grows well in lawns which are lightly watered, under fertilized and relatively sunny.  Preventing crabgrass with pre-emergent herbicides requires good timing.  Applied too early, pre-emergents will be washed away and applied too late they are completely ineffective.  Once crabgrass has taken root, non-chemical methods are the best means of getting it under control.  Seven simple steps will help you create and maintain a crabgrass free lawn.

Step 1:  Keep the grass mowed to a height above two and a half inches and fertilizer more heavily in the fall rather than the spring.  A thick luscious lawn is the best defense against crabgrass.

Step 2:  Water the lawn less frequently and when you do water it, allow the water to seep deep down to the roots of the grass.  Crabgrass is a shallow weed that needs an abundance of water at frequent intervals.  Allowing the top of the soil to dry out while providing adequate moisture for the lawn’s root system will discourage the growth and spread of crabgrass.

Step 3:  Hand pull crabgrass as soon as you see it, before it has time to re-seed itself.  Water the lawn heavily before weeding to make it easier to pull the crabgrass out, roots and all.

Step 4:  Apply mulch or compost to areas where crabgrass has been removed.  Covering the existing soil will keep sunlight from reaching any remaining crabgrass roots or seed.

Step 5:  Over seed in the fall and if necessary, apply pre-emergent in the spring.

Step 6:  Spread or spray pre-emergent after the forsythia bushes have stopped blooming, but before the lilac bushes bloom.  Water the lawn immediately after applying pre-emergent to activate the herbicide.

Step 7:  Do not aerate or de-thatch the lawn after applying pre-emergent.  Disturbing the soil in anyway will compromise the herbicide’s effectiveness.

Maintaining a thick and healthy lawn is the best way to prevent crabgrass.  Follow a regular mowing, watering and fertilizing schedule and eventually, crabgrass will be eliminated from the yard entirely.  Meanwhile,  if you take time to smell the roses, bend over and pull out a little crabgrass along the way.

Crabgrass germinates when the soil temperature rises above 50 degrees Fahrenheit and continues to spread until the first frost.

 

Email us at info@you-can-fix-it.com to request new fix-it ideas. We also encourage you to add comments or suggestions below each article.

You-Can-Fix-It.com Subscribe to our email list using the form below: Email Confirm email I prefer to receive emails in Text format

 

With the advent of Pex tubing and “Shark Bite” type fittings, sweating (soldering) copper tubing is becoming a lost art.  With a little patience and a lot of practice you still have time to master this art form.

Step 1:  Using a tubing cutter to make a smooth square cut at the end of the pipe.  Never use a hack saw to cut copper tubing.

Step 2:  Ream the end of the tubing and remove any burrs left from the tubing cutter.

Step 3:  Use emery cloth to polish the outside and inside of the copper tubing as well as the fitting ends.  Clean all surfaces until they are as shiny as a new copper penny.  Do not touch the cleaned area with your fingers.

Step 4:  Use an acid brush to apply a thin coat of plumber’s flux to both the outside of the copper tubing and the inside of the pipe fitting. Flux removes any remaining impurities and etches the copper surface to ensure proper adhesion.  Do not over apply the flux.  Excess flux will eventually weaken the solder joint and corrode the tubing.

Step 5:  Assemble the copper fittings and tubing.  Make sure the tubing seats fully inside the fittings to assure a water tight bond.

Step 6:  Use the blue flame of a propane torch to heat the fitting as quickly as possible.  Direct the flame to the middle of the fitting moving the torch in a slight arc around the fitting.  On a horizontal application, heat from the bottom of the joint rather than the top.  The heat will naturally travel to the highest point of the tubing.

Step 7:  When the flux begins to melt and the fitting glows with a slight iridescent color, touch the solder to the joint.  If the joint is hot enough the solder will be pulled into the fitting and create a seal around the circumference of the joint.  If the solder is not pulled into the joint, continue heating the copper for a few more seconds before trying again.  When working with tubing less than one inch in diameter, it is not necessary to physically move the solder around the joint.  Simply touch the solder to the top of the fitting and it should flow into and around the joint.

Step 8:  Before the joint has a chance to cool completely, run a rag over the edge to remove excess flux and solder, creating a smooth and even finish any professional would be proud of.

When soldering copper tubing, do not overheat the copper. Fifteen to twenty seconds should be more than enough time to heat the joint effectively.

Email us at info@you-can-fix-it.com to request new fix-it ideas. We also encourage you to add comments or suggestions below each article.

You-Can-Fix-It.com