Question (from Chris in Columbus, Ohio) : What do you do after you remove a bathroom and need to put in new flooring? Is there anything special that needs to be done to cap off the hole where the toilet was? Ed: Chris, it sounds like you have a big project on your hands. First, the pipe underneath the floor where the old toilet was needs to be cut and capped because you don't want sewer fumes to be able to leak into your house. Once that's done you can place a piece of wood as a scab-board, underneath the floor, to cover the underside of the hole. Then from above, to hide the hole in the surface of the flooring or sub-floor you'll need to make a plug. Simply measure the size of the hole, then use a drill and hole-saw to cut a wooden plug that matches the size of the hole. Fasten the plug securely the hole, and you're done.
Question (from Jim in Durham, North Carolina) : I’ve moved into an older house and all of the plumbing pipes in the walls are copper. I want to use CPVC for my hot and cold water when I install my new sink. Can I connect the new CPVC to the old copper pipes?
Ed: Yes you can, but you'll need special fittings. CPVC is pipe used inside for supply lines for hot and cold water. It is not as costly as copper and is very durable. Copper and CPVC pipes are made and connect differently. You can buy transition fittings to make the transition between the copper and the CPVC. Here's a tip: When possible use copper female transition fittings to CPVC male fittings (not vice versa) to avoid splitting older CPVC fittings.
Question (from Beverly from Cameron, Arizona) : I have old wooden windows, and I have a pane of glass that has cracked. How do I repair this?
Ed: If it's cracked, you'll need to remove it because someone could get cut on the sharp glass. Replacing window panes is not that hard, you just need a little patience and you need to know the steps. Let me quickly walk you through them, them maybe you should practice on a junk window you can buy at the salvage yard.
- Remove the old putty with heat gun and putty knife.
- Put linseed oil on bare wood to make new putty adhere better.
- Put a line of glazing compound down and set window in it.
- Put in glazing points.
- Apply glazing compound on top of pane and smooth.
Safety Tip: If you need to break out the old glass from the window, be sure to wear protective gloves and eye protection. To prevent glass from going everywhere, first cover it with duct tape. Then you can safely break it out with a hammer, creating less mess.
Ed's Time-Saver Tip: Easy NailingTo make driving nails go more quickly, lubricate them with beeswax or any lubricating oil. One way to make sure you always have some on hand is to drill a hole into the bottom of the handle of your wooden hammer and fill it with beeswax. Then you just slide the nail in the hole to get it coated, and hammer with ease. Also, to avoid splitting or damaging wood when nailing into hardwoods, first tap the point of the nail with a hammer to flatten the point slightly. This allows the point of the nail to tear it's way into the surface of the wood instead of spreading and splitting it.
