Briggs Vacuity Toilet

The Briggs Vacuity is a unique toilet that uses a vacuum jug to help with flushing and to conserve water. Plunging a Vacuity takes a few steps that you don't have to do with other toilets.

First, take off the lid to the tank. Remove the vacuum jug to expose the vacuum tube under it. You can cover the opening of the vacuum tube with your hand or stuff a wet rag into the opening. Keep pressure on the opening to keep air from escaping while you plunge the toilet with a toilet plunger. You want a plunger with a flange on it designed for toilet bowls. Remove the rag if you used one and replace the vacuum jug. Flush to test. Repeat if necessary.

American Standard Flush Valve

If you need to change the flush valve of an American Standard Toilet, it will help to bring the part with you to the hardware store. There are at least 6 styles of flush valve or flaps. For one style, there are 3 unique shapes. For the style I am showing, there is a #4, #5 and a #6.

In many toilets, they will accept the universal flap style, but not all the American Standard.
If you have a toilet tank that is slowly leaking, causing the fill valve to turn on and refill the tank with water, you probably have to replace the toilet flap or flush valve. For the American Standard, if it has a circular rubber disc that lifts to flush the toilet, try to replace just this first. You should bring the part with you to the store to find a match; there are a couple different styles of this too. It will be connected by a screw or snap fitting.

How to Replace a Toilet Flapper

A leaking toilet can waste up to 200 gallons of water a day. For most toilets, the flush valve uses a basic flap style gasket. This is an easy do it yourself project.

 Check the style you have before you run to the hardware store and bring it along. There are a few different shapes depending on the toilet.

Mansfield Flush Valve

The Mansfield flush valve is a unique style. The valve seal is part of the overflow pipe. To repair a leaking toilet, you must take off the refill tube, unscrew the top cap and remove the overflow pipe.

You can now get to the valve seal. By pulling at the seal from the side, you can pull it out of the body of the flush valve. To put in a new seal, you need to position it into the top groove on the flush valve.

The Mansfield 210 and 211 flush valve can have a chain attached to the bottom of the overflow tube or the handle passing through the plastic loop on the top of the tower. Both styles use the same rubber seal.

Combination Square

A combination square is a versatile tool for homeowners who like do it yourself projects. It has many features that will make your work easier and more professional.

Some of the things a combination square will do is, lay out a precise line at 90° and 45°. Check plumb and vertical. Draw quick straight lines down a piece of material. Set a router bit to the correct depth. Mark lines around a post quickly and accurately. It has a level. You can square the blade and guide on a table saw or a miter saw, just to name a few.

How to Remove a Stripped Screw

If you need to remove a stripped screw, there are a few different types of screw extractors you can buy. I like this style screw extractor for screws that have an indent like, Phillips or square drive screws. For slotted screws or broken bolts, it is more effective to use an extractor that requires a pilot hole to be driven first.

In most cases, if you have an old fence or deck that has rusted, stripped screws, you can just force this style into the top of the screw and remove it without having to ream it out first. In some cases it will actually grab better if you just use the extractor side only.

The Saw You Should Have in Your Tool Box