How to change a toilet seat

 

Here are a couple tips on how to change a toilet seat and replace it with a slow close toilet seat.

How to clean up cat urine from a carpet

To clean cat urine from a carpet, I like the Pet Odor and Stain Remover from Unique. You can find this at your local hardware store or pick it up online.
The Unique product is a blend of bacteria and enzymes.  The enzymes break down the urine and the bacteria will eliminate it. This is an all natural, safe way to remove stains and odors from your carpets.
The bacteria in this product will also eliminate vomit, feces, blood, grease and other stains. It is safe on carpet, hardwood floors and furniture. You can use this product on any water safe material.

Unclog a kitchen sink

To unclog a kitchen sink because of grease, I like the Roebic Crystal Drain Opener. It is a high concentration base that heats up and dissolves grease and food. 
When applying the drain opener, wear rubber gloves and eye protection. Put 2 tablespoons of the drain opener into the drain and add 2 cups of cold water. You can cover the drain with a plastic bowl to avoid any splattering.
Let set for 20 to 30 minutes then flush with cold water.
If you drain is still slow, add more product and repeat the process.
This product is safer than acids and I like that it can't spill like liquids.
Don't use this in toilets, garbage disposals, aluminum, lead or rusted galvanized pipes.

Construction Pencil

For a great construction pencil, I like the pencil blade from Accutrax. This is a pencil, shaped like a utility knife. I like having a pencil that is always sharp and protected inside a utility knife. The blade create a very tight uniform line. It's called the Accutrax Pencil Blade.

How to install a Delta Touch Faucet

The Delta Touch Faucet allows you to touch the faucet anywhere on the body or handle to turn the faucet on and off. You don't have to worry about contaminating the handle when you are handling food.
I like the high spout, the pull out spray feature and it was easy to install.

Outlet and GFCI Tester

An outlet tester is a great tool to make sure your outlets are grounded and wired correctly.
With an outlet tester that has a built in GFCI tester, you can check your GFCI outlets once a month to be sure they are working properly.

If you have an outlet that has reversed polarity, you can shorten the life of your electronic equipment and risk shock hazards in some fixtures.

Self watering system for plants

For a self watering system for plants, I came across the Plant Nanny at a garden show.
It is a terracotta spike that you put into the pot to create a self watering system. When the soil dries out, water is pulled out of the spike. It makes it very easy to keep your plants watered properly.

Clean lint from a 2nd floor dryer

I show how to clean lint from dryer on the 2nd floor. Cleaning the lint from your dryer is an important yearly routine. There are thousands of lint fires every year from a buildup of lint.

If you have a dryer on the 2nd floor of your home, it is harder to clean the entire length of the duct. I really like this LintEater tool. It allows you to push the cleaning brush through the ducts and suck out the lint with a shop vac.

Shower Caulking Tips

Here are some tips for caulking a shower.

How to Plant a Tree

One of the best times to plant a tree is in early Spring or Fall. In cool weather, a tree is diverting nutrients to root growth rather than leaf growth. During the summer, a young tree is more susceptible to heat stress.

Take the time to research the type of tree that will do best in your location and soil quality. A simple way is to drive your neighborhood and see what trees are planted and doing the best. For a great resource, look up your local county extension service for help picking the best tree for your area. They are very helpful.

When you have your tree, dig a saucer shaped hole about 4 or 5 times the width of the root ball on the tree. When you fill in this area with dirt, you are making it easy for new roots to spread out.

You want the depth of the hole to allow the root crown to be level with the surrounding soil. The root crown is where the main uppermost root breaks away from the trunk. In most cases, the top of the root ball should show the root crown. The root crown needs to breathe and be exposed.

Use the handle of a shovel or a tape measure against the root ball to guide you as you dig the depth of the hole. Once you have the depth of your hole, use the shovel to loosen up the dirt in the bottom of the hole and scratch up the sides of the hole. This will prevent the soil from being too compacted from shoveling.

Before you put the tree into the hole you want to take a knife and cut into the roots along the sides of the root ball about every 2 inches and about 1 inch deep into the root ball. This will free up any roots that have wound themselves around the root ball. You can also pull apart some of the outside roots by hand. This will help the roots expand out and establish a firm hold.

Once you have your tree in place and the root crown is level with the surrounding soil, you can start to back fill the dirt. Break up any clumps. Most experts now agree that you should just use the original soil for filling the hole. They have found that soil amendments can discourage the tree roots from spreading into the surrounding soil and can cause poor water drainage. Some fertilizers can kill young tree roots. The tag on your new tree may suggest peat moss and other amendments, but new research shows the best results from establishing the tree in native soil.

With the excess soil, you can create a small lip around the outside edge of the hole to help retain water for the first year. You can also use a thin coat of mulch to help regulate water evaporation and temperature. 2 inches of mulch is good for a young tree. Do not cover the root crown. You never want to pile mulch up against the trunk. This can cause the bark to rot, encourage disease and insect damage.

For the first two months, you should water your tree 1 to 2 gallons of water a day. After 2 months you can water twice a week for another 2 months, then once a week for the first year.

For an established tree, more than 2 years old, you want to give it 10 gallons of water per inch of trunk diameter. You want to water it once every 2 to 4 weeks.  One deep watering is much healthier for a tree and produces strong deep roots. You want the soil to dry out between watering. The roots that lie close to the surface also absorb oxygen and need to breathe.

Follow these tips for growing a healthy new tree.

The Drain Claw drain tool for slow bath drains

For slow bath drains, The Drain Claw drain tool does a great job of removing hair and debris.

Sump Pump Tips

If you need to replace a sump pump, you have 2 options for the switch. A tether switch, which is a float that turns the pump on and off. You need a 14 inch wide pit or larger.
 A vertical float switch, which has a float tied to a vertical rod. You can use an 11 inch wide pit or larger.
I like the vertical float switch. It can't get caught on the sides of the pit or any pipes inside the pit.
1/2 horse power pumps are the most versatile for the majority of homes. To find out the size pump you need for your home you can call the Wayne company at  800-237-0987. They are very helpful. You will need to know the height of the pipe coming up from the pit and the overall length of the discharge pipe, along with the number of elbows.
Sump pumps will last 6 to 10 years.

How to replace a sump pump

I show how to replace a sump pump in a basement. If all you need is a new sump pump, you should be able to unscrew the discharge pipe and screw it on to the new pump.
In most applications, a 1/2 hp pump will do the job and last 6 to 10 years. If you want to know the recommended horse power for your job, you can call the Wayne company at 800-237-0987. Give them the height of the discharge pipe and the overall distance, along with how many elbows you have and they will give a suggested size for the pump. I have found them to be very helpful.

How to clean the lint from dryer and vent

 

A great dryer vent cleaning kit is the Lint Eater cleaning system. It comes with a variety of accessories to clean many types of dryer vents.

You can use the air from the dryer or a shop vac to help pull out the lint.

There are thousands of dryer fires every year from a buildup of lint, so you should clean your dryer vents once or twice every year.

How to apply a driveway sealer

I show how to apply a driveway sealer. I am using the Henry 532 asphalt resurfacer. This product has a 7 year warranty. I like the rubberized gel formula, it goes on easy and you only need one coat.
You want the temperature to be above 50 degrees. You don't want rain in the forecast for 48 hours and you don't want to drive on the product for 48 hours.
Hose down the driveway with a good cleaner and pull any weeds. Fill all large cracks with a crack sealer. Fill any holes with a pothole patch. Let any patches fully cure before you apply the sealer.