How to replace a Moen faucet cartridge

One of the most popular faucets is the Moen single handle faucet. They have one style cartridge that fits into a wide variety of bathroom, kitchen, tub and shower faucets.

The most popular Moen cartridge is the 1200 brass style or the 1225 plastic body. You can replace an old cartridge with either model. Another style cartridge from Moen is the PosiTemp. It is also for single handle faucets but has a built in anti-scald feature. It will not fit in the faucets that take a 1200 or 1225 style, so make sure to look at your old cartridge.

The plastic cartridge is the newer style and is considered better for water with high mineral content.

You will need some of the following tools: adjustable wrench, channel-lock pliers, open-ended wrench, flashlight, and screwdrivers.

The first step in replacing a Moen cartridge is to shut off the water supply to the faucet.

To remove the old cartridge, you have to remove the handle from the faucet.

For most bathroom sinks and tub handles, there is a decorative cover on the top of the handle that needs to be pried off with a very small slotted screwdriver. This will give you access to the handle screw. In most cases this will be a Phillips screw. Remove this screw to remove the handle. For kitchen sink handles and some shower handles, there will be a small set screw that has an Allen Screw on the side or bottom. Unscrew this to remove the handle.

Some kitchen faucets will have a series of pieces that need to be removed to get to the cartridge. They can include the handle, handle assembly, retainer ring, pivot nut, and spacers. It is a good practice to lay out each piece in the order you removed it, so reassembly is easier.

Some faucets may also have a retaining nut that needs to be unscrewed to get to the cartridge.

Once the handle is removed and the parts under the handle are removed, you will need to take out the retainer clip. This is a “U” shaped clip that holds the cartridge in place.

In most of the packaging of a new Moen cartridge is a small white plastic tool to help remove the old cartridge. Place the removal tool onto the old cartridge and seat it between the two ears that stick up on cartridge. Use pliers or a wrench to twist the tool and loosen the old cartridge.

Remove the plastic tool and grab the cartridge stem and pull it out of the valve.

To install the new cartridge, pull the stem out so it is in the open position. This makes it easier to push into the valve. Grease up the o-rings with plumbers grease. In old faucets, the buildup of minerals and rust can cut an o-ring if it is not greased up. This will also help add life to the o-rings.

You need to align the ears sticking up on the new cartridge with the slot for the retainer clip. The clip needs to go around the ears to hold them in place. Replace the retainer clip.

Now replace all the parts that were removed and test the faucet.

If the hot and cold are reversed when you use the handle, only remove the handle and spin the stem 180 degrees. Do not remove the clip or cartridge, just spin the stem.

Weed Control and Fertilizer

To control wide leafed weeds like dandelions, you have to put a weed killer on actively growing weeds.

A bagged weed kill product like Scotts Step 2 or Scotts Super Turf plus 2 will not prevent weeds, it needs to be put down when the weeds have germinated and are fully developed. If you put Step 2 down too early, the weeds that haven't germinated yet will need another application.

By applying Scotts Step 2 or Super Turf plus 2, you will also add 2 months worth of high grade fertilizer to your lawn.

For all our bagged weed killers, you have to apply it to wet grass. The weed kill has to be absorbed into the wet leaves to be effective. You should mow the lawn first to expose weeds. Wet the lawn with a hose sprayer or sprinkler. You can also put a weed kill down first thing in the morning when it is wet from dew, but sprinkling the lawn will ensure that there is enough moisture on the leaves. You do not want to water the lawn or have rain in the forecast for at least 24 hours. The weed kill needs to absorb into the leaves and not get washed off. This is the only fertilizer that needs to be put on wet grass.

To spot kill weeds in your lawn you can use a product like Weed-B-Gon. It will kill weeds without harming the lawn.

For areas that have weeds but no grass, you can use a product like Round Up. It will kill anything green. What is great about Round Up, is that the formula will become inactive after 24 hours. So you can kill weeds in an area and still plant flowers or plants there in 24 hours. We also have other products that will kill weeds and prevent new vegetation from growing for a full season.

Make sure to read the packaging when you pick a product.

For more tips from the hardware store visit, www.askthehardwareguy.com

What is better? Caulk or Silicone

For our customers looking for a caulking, we try our best to help pick the best product for their application.

Our best most versatile caulk is the DAP ALEX PLUS. This is an all around caulk that can be used on a large variety of construction materials. This is a painter’s caulk with added silicone for adhesion, flexibility and longevity. It has a 35 year expected life in most applications and can be used indoors and outdoors. This product is easy to apply and easy to clean up.

It provides a waterproof seal and keeps air from passing through cracks. It is an excellent product for weather proofing a home. The cured caulk is mildew resistant.

The caulk can be cleaned up with soap and water before it dries. It has very little odor and is low VOC.

 The ALEX PLUS will stick to wood, metal, glass, tiles, drywall, brick, plaster, painted surfaces and most building material. It is perfect for sealing windows and door frames, molding, vents, baseboard, siding, corner joints and almost anywhere you need to cover a crack or seam.

The cured caulk can be painted in about 2 hours. You should apply it above 40 degrees.

For projects that need the ultimate in adhesion or waterproofing silicone stands up to extremes.

For many projects in the bathroom, like shower doors, silicone provides a much better seal and longer life. The DAP 100% silicone that we carry has an expected life of 50 years.

Silicone is an excellent adhesive, so for outdoor projects that need strength and a waterproof finish, silicone is the best. It will also withstand extreme temperature swings, from -40 to 400 degrees. The cured product is flexible and will not crack, crumble or shrink.

The product needs to have air movement to fully cure. You can’t use it in a closed, confined space. Excess product has to be cleaned up with mineral spirits. The product is very sticky and you only have 5 to 10 minutes to smooth or tool the product. It is much easier to use a caulking tool to finish silicone rather than your finger.

Silicone is not recommended on cement, brass, iron, galvanized metal, wet surfaces, oily woods, stove pipes or chimneys.

100% silicone can’t be painted.

For some bathroom projects that need something stronger than a bath caulk, silicone is the answer. It is also great for exterior projects like gutter leaks and weatherproofing around doors, windows and siding.

In most cases, the easiest product for the average homeowner will be caulk.

How to Rejuvenate Your Lawn

Adding new grass seed to a lawn is one of the most overlooked lawn care tasks.

By over seeding a lawn every few years, you will have a thick healthy lawn that not only looks great, but can easily be kept virtually weed free with very little effort.

As grass gets to be 5 years old or so, it drastically slows down the rate of reproduction. This can cause your lawn to get thinner and more susceptible to weeds. By adding new seed to a lawn every few years you can easily revitalize your lawn.       

The first step to over seeding is to clean up any debris and weeds. Then rake the lawn to remove all loose thatch and grass clippings. The new seeds need to make contact with soil to germinate.

The second step is to mow your grass to the lowest setting that your mower will allow. Use a grass catcher if you have it and bag the clippings. By doing this, the seeds can drop easily to the soil. This is also the perfect time to aerate your lawn. This involves punching small holes throughout the lawn. This allows more oxygen and water to penetrate into the ground and more opportunity for the seeds to get into the soil.

The third step is topping your lawn with a light coating of top soil or a lawn soil like Scotts Seeding Soil. The Scotts Seeding Soil will help the seeds germinate and has a starter fertilizer added to speed root development. Seed must come in contact with soil, or they will not germinate. After topping the lawn with some type of soil, you should water the lawn thoroughly, giving it 1 inch of water. This will help with keeping the lawn moist for germination.

The fourth step is to put down the seed. You can use a full size spreader or a hand held one. The spreader and the bag of grass seed will have the settings for correct dispersal. After covering the entire lawn, you can add a light topping of soil or Scotts Seeding Soil over the seed. If you did not use the seeding soil, make sure to use a Starter Fertilizer. This is a must to develop strong roots quickly and has a blend of nutrients to help not only the seedlings but the established lawn.

The fifth step is to water. You need to mist the lawn twice a day for at least 2 weeks. The first few weeks are the difference between success and failure for the seedlings. The seeds need consistent moisture to germinate. Then as the roots start to develop, if they dry out before they get a good root hold into the soil, they will die. This is one of the most important steps, a light misting twice a day for at least 2 weeks.

A light misting, rather than a soaking will also help keep the seeds from pooling and bunching up.

So the key steps are;

Rake and clean up the lawn of any debris. Mow the grass to the lawn mowers lowest setting. (set it back to high for the rest of the year) Water the lawn thoroughly, at least 1 inch of water. Put down seed using a spreader. Put down Scotts Seeding Soil or Starter Fertilizer. Mist the lawn twice a day for 2 weeks.

Do this every couple years. Fertilize and water regularly and you will have a lawn that will be the envy of the neighborhood.

For more household tips, visit www.askthehardwareguy.com

Some clear caulks come out of the tube white!

A concern many of my customers have is purchasing a clear caulk, but it comes out of the tube white. Some caulks can take up to 2 weeks to turn clear.
For more household tips, stop by www.askthehardwareguy.com.

The Best Style of Caulk Gun

Here are some things I look for in a caulk gun. I think these features are worth the extra couple dollars.

Air Freshener Dangers

“The Endowment For Medical Research” says the term air freshener on most products is misleading.  They say the term should be air polluter.

Most air fresheners seem to reduce odor and freshen the air, but actually they interfere with our nasal passages.  The chemicals used coat nerve endings with an oily film that deadens our ability to smell.

 One of the most popular chemicals is methoxychlor, a pesticide used to kill cockroaches.

 Two other popular ingredients in air fresheners are formaldehyde (a highly toxic carcinogen) and phenol.   If you come in contact with phenol your skin will swell, burn and peel. 

 90% of chemicals used to create the illusion of clean air contain synthetic chemicals derived from petroleum.

 Many are listed by the EPA as capable of causing cancer, birth defects, nervous system disorders and allergic reactions.

 The EPA has reported that toxic chemicals we use to clean our homes are 3 times more likely to cause cancer than outdoor pollutants.

What do we recommend to our customer that wants to eliminate household and pet odors?  We suggest Fresh Wave, an all natural product that eliminates odors without masking or containing a strong fragrance.

 Fresh Wave products are made from all natural extracts of aniseed, clove, cedar wood, lime, pine needle and soya.

 The Fresh Wave products are non-toxic, non-hazardous, biodegradable and contain no harmful, volatile organic compounds (VOC).

 When the product is sprayed or allowed to evaporate into the air it carries an electrostatic charge.  Odor molecules are drawn to each Fresh Wave molecule until it becomes heavier than air.  After becoming saturated with odor molecules it drops out of the air leaving you with an odor free environment.

 From our research, we believe that Fresh Wave is one of the best products to eliminate odor in the home.

For more household tips visit, www.askthehardwareguy.com.

Furnace Troubleshooting - Flame Sensor

If you have a furnace that is cycling off too quickly, or the burners are not staying on, you may have a flame sensor that needs cleaning.

Lightly sand the flame sensor with a soft abrasive pad, sand paper or emery cloth. Make sure to wipe off the sensor thoroughly before starting the furnace, you don’t want to leave a residue.

Turn off the furnace while cleaning the sensor.

For more household tips visit, www.askthehardwareguy.com.

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